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'VHP'' 


DISSERTATIONS 

ON    THE 

PROPHECIES, 


WHICH     HAVE 


REMARKABLY  BEEN  FULFILLED, 

AND    AT    THIS     TIME 

Are  fulfilling  in  the  World. 

By    THOMAS   NEWTON,   D.D. 

Late  Lord  Bifhop  of  Bristol. 
In    two     volumes. 

VOL.      II. 


N    E     W  -  r    O     R     K: 


Printed    by    William    Durell, 

For  Evert  Duyckinck  &  Co.  No.  no,  Pearl-Street, 

CORNER  OF  Old-Slip. 


MpDCC^XCIV. 


To  His  Grace  the 

Lo^RD    Archbishop 
o  F 

Y         OR         K  : 

(Dr.  Gilbert.) 

My  Lord, 

The  very  favourable  opinion  that  your 

Grace  was  pleafed  to  exprefs  of  the  Jirjl  part 
of  this  work,  encourages  me  to  fet  forth  this  lajl 
under  your  patronage  and  protedion.  This  laft 
IS  the  mojt  difficult,  but  yet  it  has  been  to  vie  the, 
mojl  entertaining  part  of  all.  Hoio  it  may  ap- 
prove itfelf  to  your  Grace  and  others,  I  can- 
not pretend  to  fay  :  but  having  been  perufed  by 
the  fame  three  eminently  learned  perfons  as  the 
former  volume,  it  may  be  prefumed  on  that  ac- 
count to  be  lefs  unfit  for  me  to  offer,  and  for 
Your  Grace  to  receive.  At  the  fame  time  it 
affords  me  an  additional  pleafitre  in  giving  me 
an  opportunity  of  acknoidedging  publicly  my  ob- 
ligations to  Your  Grace  for  favours  great  in 
themf elves,  but  made  much  greater  by  your  hand- 
fome  manner  of  conferring  them,  unfolicited,  un- 
afked,  unexpetled.  I  will  not  fay  undferved, 
becaufe  that  zvould  be  calling  your  Grace's 


DEDICATION. 

judgment  in  qiiejlion ;  but  I  will  endeavour  to 
deferve  them :  and  indeed  IJIiould  think  any  pre- 
ferment ill  bejloxoed  upon  me,  that  did  not  incite 
and  animate  me  more  to  profecute  myjiudies,  and 
threby  to  prove  niyfelj  more  worthy  of  Your 
Gr  aci.'^  favour  and Mndnefs  to^ 


My  Lord, 
Your  Grace's  ever  obliged 
and  dutiful  humble  fervant, 

Thomas  Newton, 
Nov.  3,  1758. 


THE 


CONTENTS 


OF    THE 


SECOND     VOLUME. 


Introduction  to  the   LecSture  founded  by  the  Honorable 
Robert    Boyle. 

P.  41—52. 
How  and  by  whom     the  author  was  appointed  to  preach  the 
Boyle's  le£l:ure,  p.  42.     Previous  to  the  farther  explanation 
of  Daniel,  a  vindication  is  propofed  of  the  genuinenefs  of 
his  prophecies    againft    the    principal  objections  of  unbe- 
lievers, p.  42.     Collin's  eleven  objeilions  particularly  con- 
fidered  and  refuted,  p.  43,  &c.     His  firft  objection,  relat- 
ing to  the  age  of  Daniel,  refuted,  p.  43.     His  fecond  ob- 
je6tion,  relating  to  the  miftake  of  the  kings  name,  and  to 
Nebuchadnezzar's  madnefs,  refuted,  p.  43,  44.     His  third 
objection,  relating  to  Greek  words  found  in  Daniel,  refut- 
ed, p.  43,  44.     His  fourth  objection,  relating  to  the  ver- 
fion  of  the  Seventy,    refuted,  p.  45.     His    fifth  objedion, 
drawn  from  the  clearnefs  of  Daniel's  prophecies  to  the  times 
of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  refuted,  P.  45,  46.     His  fixth  ob- 
jection, drawn  from  the   omiilion  of  Daniel  in  the  book  of 
Ecclefiafticus,  refuted",  p.  46.     His  feventh  objection,    re- 
lating to  Jonathan's  making  no  Targum  on  Daniel,  refuted, 
p.  46,  47.     His  eighth  gbjedion,    drawn  from  the  ftile  of 


CONTENTS. 

Daniel's  Chaldee,  refuted,  p.  47.  His  ninth  objection, 
drawn  from  the  forgeries  of  the  Jews,  refuted,  p.  47,  48. 
His  tenth  objeilion,  drawn  from  Daniel's  uncommon  punc- 
tuaHi y  in  fixing  the  times,  refuted,  p.  48.  His  eleventh  ob- 
jccftion,  relating  to  Daniel's  fettino;  forth  ta6ls  very  imperfect- 
ly and  contrary  to  other  hiftories,  and  to  his  dark  and  emble- 
matic ftyle,  refuted,  p.  48, 49.  The  external  and  internal  evi- 
dence for  the  genuinenefs  of  the  book  of  Daniel,  p.  49,  5®. 
Thedivifion  of  the  remainder  of  this  work,  agreeable  to  the 
defign  of  the  honourable  founder,  p.  50.  From  the  inftance 
of  this  excellent  perfon,  and  fome  others,  it  is  fhovvn  that 
phiicfophy  and  religion  may  well  confift  and  agree  together, 
p.  51,  52. 


DISSERTATION     XIX. 

Our    Saviour's    Prophecies.,  relating  to  the  dcftrvMion  of 
Jerusale Tvi,  continued. 

Part       II. 

P.  52— 73- 
After  the  cn'cum.ftances  which  palled  before  the  Tiege,  we  are 
to  treat  with  thofe  which  happened  during  the  ficge  and  af- 
teV  it,  p.  52.  The  abomination  of  defolation  Handing  in 
the  holy  place,  the  Roman  army  befieging  Jerufalem, 
P- 52)  53-  Then  the  Chriftians  to  fly  mto  the  mountains, 
P-  53>  54*  Their  flight  muft  be  fudden  and  hafly,  p.  54. 
Woe  unto  them  that  are  with  child  and  that  give  fick  in 
thofe  days,  exemplified  particularly  in  the  ftory  of  a  noble 
woman,  who  killed  and  cat  her  own  fucking  child,  P.  55. 
To  pray  that  their  flight  be  not  in  tlie  winter,  neither  on 
the  fabbath  day,  p.  56.  Providentially  ordered  that  there 
were  fuch  favourable  opportunities  of  cfcaping,  before  the 
city  was  clofely  befieged,  p.  55,  57,  The  great  calamities 
and  miferies  of  the  Jewifh  nation  in  thofe  days,  p.  58.  None 
of  the  Jews  would  have  efcaped  deftruiSiion,  had  not  the 
days  been  Ihortened  for  the  fake  of  the  Chriftian  Jews, 
59,  60.  A  more  particular  caution  a^^ainft  faifc  Chrifts 
und  falfe  prophets  about  the  time  of  tlie  fi'  ge  'iA\<\  delhudion 


CONTENTS. 

of  Jerufalem,  p.  6i.     Their  pretending  to  work  miracles, 
ib.      Their   conducing  their   followers  into  the  defert,   or 
into  the  fecret  chambers,  p.  62,  63.     But  the    com.ing  of 
Chrift  will  not  be  in  this  or  that  particular  place,  he  will 
be  taking  vengeance   of  the  Jews  every  where,^  p.  64,  65. 
Some  confiderations  upon  the  condua  of  thele  faife  Chriits 
and  falfe  prophets,  p.  65,  &c.     It  may  reafonably  be  mfer- 
red  from  hence,  that  there  hath  been  a  true  prophet,  a  tru3 
Chrift,  p.  66.     The  Meffiah  particularly  expected  about  tno 
time   of  our  Saviour,  ib.     The  Meffiah  to  work  miracles, 
p.  66,  67.     Jefus  alone  hath  performed  the  miracles  which 
the  Meffiah  was  to  perform,  p.  67,  68.     The  difference  be- 
tween the  condudl  and  fuccefs  of  thcfe  deceivers  and  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  p.  68,  69.     The  force  of  fuoerftition  and  enthufiafm 
in  their  deluding  fuch  numbers,  p. '69,  70.     All  are  not  to 
be   credited,    who  pretend  to  work  miracles,  p.  71-    .^^^ 
we  are  to  judge  of  miracles,  ib.     What  we  are  to  think  of 
the  Pagan,  p.  72.     And  what  of  the  popifti  miracles,  ib. 

DISSERTATION     XX. 
The  fame  fubjeSf  continued. 

PART      III. 
P.  73—92. 

The  final  deftruaion  of  Jerufalem  foretold  in  very  figurative 
language,  p.  73.     The  like  fio;ures  ufed  by  the  ancient  pro- 
phets, p.  73,    74.     The  fame^ngurative  flile  in  the  follow- 
ing verfes,  p.  74.     Dr.  Warburton's  account  of  this  figura- 
tive language,  p.  75,  76.     The  number  of  thofe  who  tell 
by  the  edge  of  the  fword,  p.  77,  78.     An  account  of  thole 
who  were    led   away  captive   into  all   nations,  p.  7^>  79- 
Jerufalem  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  p.  79.     A  deduc- 
tion   of  the    hiftory    of  Jerufalem    from    the    deftrudtion 
by  Titus    to    the    prefent    time,    p.  79,    80.     Its    ruined 
and  defolate  ftate  under  Vefpafian  and  Titus,  p.  80.     ^^^^ 
built  by  Adrian,    and   the  Jews  rebellion  thereupon,  ^"^ 
final  difperfion   p.  80,   81.     Repaired  by  Conftantine,  ^^^ 
adorned    with    many   ftately    edifices    and    churches,    with 
a  farther  difperfion  of  the  Jews,   p.  82.     Julian's  purpof*-* 


CONTENTS. 

to  fettle  the  Jews,  and  his  attempt  to  rebuild  the  temple  mi- 
raculoufly  defeated,  p.  182,  83.  State  of  Jerufalem  under  the 
fucceeding  emperors,  p.  84,  85.  Taken  and  plundered  by 
the  Perfians,  p.  86.  .•  Surrendered  to  the  Saracens,  p.  86,  87. 
Pafies  from  the  Saracens  to  the  Turks  of  the  Selzuccian  race, 
and  from  the  Turks  to  the  Egyptians,  p.  88.  Taken  from 
the  Egyptians  by  the  Franks  or  Latin  Chriftians,  88.  Re- 
covered by  the  Sultans  of  Egypt,  and  comes  under  the  domi- 
nion of  the  Mamalucs,  p.  88.  Annexed  to  the  dominions  of 
the  Turks  of  the  Othman  race,  in  whofe  hands  it  is  at  pre- 
fent,  p.  89.  Likely  to  remain  In  fubjedtion  to  the  Gentiles, 
until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled,  p.  90.  What  the 
fulfilling  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles,  p.  90,  91. 

DISSERTATION     XXL 

The  fame  fiihje£l  continued. 

Part      IV. 

P.  90-— 103. 

Yvom  the  figns  of  our  Saviour  proceeds  to  treat  concerning  the 
time  of  the  deftru6lion  of  Jerufalem,  p.  92,  93.  He  affirms 
that  it  would  be  in  the  prefent  generation,  p.  93.  Some  then 
living  would  behold  and  fufFer  thefe  calamities,  p.  93.  But 
ftill  the  exact  time  unknown  to  all  creatures,  p.  93,  94.  Ac- 
cording to  St.  Mark  unknown  to  the  Son,  p.  95.  The  ge- 
nuincnefs  of  that  text  vindicated,  and  the  fenfe  explained, 
P-  95>  9^'  The  deltrudtlon  of  Jerufalem  typical  of  the  end 
of  the  world,  p.  97.  Reflexions  upon  the  whole,  p.  97,  &c. 
The  cxadl  completion  of  thefe  prophecies  a  flrong  proof  of 
revelation,  p.  98.  The  prophecies  plain  and  eafy,  taken  from 
Mofcs  and  Daniel,  but  improved  and  enlarged,  p.  98,  99. 
Vefpafian  and  Titus  wonderfully  raifed  up  and  preferved  for 
the  completion  of  thefe  prophecies,  and  Jofephus  for  the  illuf- 
tration  of  their  completion,  99,  100.  The  great  ufe  and  ad- 
vantage of  his  hiflory  in  this  refpe6t,  p.  lOO.  The  caufe  of 
thefe  heavy  judgments  on  the  Jews,  their  crucifying  ofjefus, 
p.  100.  Some  correfpondence  between  their  crime  and  their 
punifhment,  p.  loi.     Application  to  us  Chriftians,  p,  102, 


CONTENTS. 

DISSERTATION    XXII. 

St.  Paul's  Prophecies  of  the  Man  of  Sin, 

P.  103—139. 
St.  Paul's  and  St.  John's  prophecies  copied  fropi  Daniel  with 
{bme  improvements,  p.  103.  Two  moil  memorable  pro- 
phecies of  St.  Paul,  the  firlt  of  the  man  of  fm,  p.  103,  104. 
I.  The  fenfe  and  meaning  of  the  pafiage,  p.  204,  105. 
The  coming  of  Chrift  in  this  place,  and  the  day  of  Chnir, 
not  meant  of  the  deftru6tion  of  Jerufalem,  bur  of  the  end 
of  the  world,  p.  105,  106.  Ocher  memorable,  events  to 
take  place  before,  p.  106.  What  the  apoflafy,  p.  106. 
Who  the  man  of  fni,  p.  106,  107.  His  exalting  himfeif, 
p.  108.  His  fitting  in  the  temple  of  God,  p.  108,  lOg* 
Thefe  things  communicated  before  the  Thelfalonians,  p. 
109.  What  hindered  the  revelation  of  the  man  of  fm,  p. 
109,  no.  His  deftrudlion  foretold  before  his  other  quali- 
fications, p.  Up.  His  other  qualiiications  defcribcd,  p. 
III.  II.  This  prophecy  ftrangely  mifiaken  and  mifapplied 
by  fome  famous  commentators,  p.  iii,  &c.  Grotius's 
application  of  it  to  Caligula  and  bimon  Adagus,  refuted,  p. 
Ill,  112.  Hammon's  application  of  it  Simon  Magus 
and  the  Gnoftics,  refuted,  p.  113,  114.  Le  Clerc's  ap- 
plication of  it  to  the  rebeilous  jews  and  Simon  the  fon  of 
Gioras,  refuted,  p.  115,  116.  Whitby's  applicatiuns  of 
it  to  the  Jewiih  nation  with  their  high-prieft  and  Sanhe- 
drim, refuted,  p.  116,  117.  Wetitem's  application  of  it 
to  Titus  and  the  Flavian  family,  refuted,  p.  118,  119. 
They  bid  fairer  for  the  true  interpretation,  Vv^ho  apply  it  to 
events  after  the^deftruiftion  of  Jerufalem,  )p^  120.  Appli- 
cation of  it  to  Mohammed,  refuted,  p.  1 20.  Applicafion 
of  it  to  the  Reformation,  refuted,  p.  120,  121.  Applica- 
tion to  the  future  Antichrift  of  the  papiils,  refuted,  p.  ill. 
III.  The  true  applicatioa  of  this  prophecy,  p.  121,  &c.  The 
apoftafy  charged  upon  the  church  of  Rome,  p.  122,  123. 
The  pope  ftiown  to  be  the  manof  fm,  p.  123,  124.  How 
thefe  thmgs  came  to  be  mentioned  in  an  epifHe  to  che  Thef- 
falonians  rather  than  to  the  Romans,  p.  124,  125.  The 
Vol.  II.  U 


CONTENTS. 

feeds  of  popery  fown  in  the  apoftle's  time,  p.  125.  The 
empire  of  the  man  of  fin  raifed  on  the  ruins  of  the  Roman 
empire,  p.  126.  Machiavel  cited  to  fhow  how  this  was  af- 
fected, p.  126- — 128.  Miracles  pretended  in  the  church 
of  Rome,  p.  629,  130.  I'he  empire  of  the  man  of  fm 
will  be  totally  dcftroyed,  p.  130.  The  man  of  fm  the 
fame  as  the  little  horn  or  mighty  king  in  Daniel,  p.  130. 
Generally  both  by  ancients  and  moderns  denominated  Anti- 
chrill,  p.  131.  The  ancient  fathers  give  much  the  fame 
interpretation  of  this  whole  paflage,  p.  131.  Juftin  Mar- 
tyr, Irenseus,  and  Turtulian  in  the  ftcond  century,  p.  131, 
132.  Origen  in  the  third  centur-,  p.  132.  La^tantiu?, 
Cyril,  and  Ambrofe  in  the  fourth  century,  p.  132.  Je- 
rome, Auftin  and  Chryfoftome  in  the  latter  end  of  the 
fourth,  or  ihc  beginning  of  the  fifth  century,  p.  133.  Who- 
foever  affected  the  tide  of  univerfai  bilhop,  he  was  Anti- 
chrift,  in  the  opinion  of  Pope  Gregory  the  great,  p.  134, 
13^.  Hjw  the  true  notion  of  Antichrilt  was  fupprelled, 
and  revived  again  with  the  reformation,  p.  136.  How 
this  do£liine  afterwards  became  unfalhionable,  but  is  now 
growing  into  repute  again,  p.  136.  Conclufion ;  fuch  a 
prophecy  at  once  a  pruuf  of  revelation,  and  an  antidote  to 
popery  j  the  blindiicfs  of  the  papiils  in  this  particular,  .p. 


DISSERTATION    XXIII. 
St.  Paul's  Prophecy  of  the  Jpojlafy  of  the  latter  times. 


P.  139 — 164. 
St.  Paul  much  affected  with  the  forefight  of  the  great  apoftafy 
of  Chriftian?,  p.  139.  Defcribed  here  more  particularly, 
p.  139,  140.  I.  The  apoftafy  fhown  to  be  idolatry,  p. 
140,  cic.  Some  in  fcripture  often  fignifies  many^  p.  14I, 
142.  The  apoftafy  to  be  great  and  ir-neral,  p.  143.  The 
fame  in  the  Jewifh  and  Chriftian  church,  143.  II.  Shown 
more  particularly  to  conhit  in  the  worfliipping  of  demons, 
p.  143,    144.      Demons   in   the   Gentle   theology   middle 


CONTENTS. 

powers  and  mediators  between  the  Gods  and  men,  p.  144, 
145.  l"wo  kinds  of  Demons,  fouls  of  men  deified  or  ca- 
nonized after  death,  and  feparace  fpirits,  p.  145,  146. 
Good  and  bad  demons,  p.  146,  147.  The  Gentile  notion 
of  demons  has  fometimes  a  place  in  fcripture,  p.  147,  148. 
A  paflage  in  Epiphanius,  that  much  confirms  and  illuftrates 
the  foregoing  expofition,  p.  149,  150.  The  worfhip  of 
faints  and  angels  now  the  fame  as  the  worftilp  of  demons 
formerly,  p.  151.  The  rife  of  this  worfhip,  p.  152.  Too 
much  promoted  and  encouraged  by  the  fathers  from  Con- 
llantine's  time,  and  particularly  by  Theodoret,  p.  152.  153. 
The  conformity  between  the  Pagan  and  Popiih  worihip,  p. 
154.  IIL  The  worfhip  of  the  dead  to  take  place  in  the 
latter  times,  p.  155.  What  thefe  latter  times  are,  p.  156. 
IV.  The  worfliip  of  demons  foretold  cxprefsly  by  the  Spirit 
in  Daniel,  p.  156,  157.  V.  Propagated  and  eflablifhed 
through  the  hypocrify  of  liars,  p.  158.  VI.  Forbidding  to 
marry,  a  farther  chara6ler  of  thefe  men,  p.  159.  Who 
firfl  recommended  the  profeffion  of  a  fingle  life,  p.  159,  160. 
The  fame  perfons  who  prohibited  marriage,  promoted  the 
worfhip  of  the  dead,  p.  160,  16 1.  VII.  The  lafc  note  of 
thefe  men,  commanding  to  abftain  from  meats,  p.  192.  The 
fame  perfons,  who  propagated  the  worfhip  of  the  dead,  im- 
pofe  alfo  abflinence  from  meats,  p.  162.  This  abflinence 
perverting  the  purpofe  of  nature,  p.  i  63.  All  creatures  to 
l3e  received  with  thankfgiving,  p.  164. 


DISSERTATION    XXIV. 

^«  Analysis  of  the  Revelation. 

In    two    parts, 

P  A  R  T     I. 

P.  164. 
Very  ufeful  to  trace  the  rife  and  progrefs  of  religions  and  go- 
vernments, p.  164.  None  more  wonderful  than  that  of 
Rome  it  its  fuccefs  and  prevalence,  p.  164.  This  fignifi- 
ed  beforehand  by  the  Spirit  of  prophecy,  and  particularly 
in  the  Revelation,  p.  165.     The  objedtions  made  to  this 


CONTENTS, 

book  by  faveral  learned  men,  i66.  This  book  difficult  to 
explain,  p.  i66.  A  memorable  ftory  to  this  purpofe,  of 
Buiiop  Lloyd  oF  Worcefter,  p.  ibh.  This  book  not  there- 
fore to  be  defpifed  or  neglected,  p.  167.  The  right  method 
of  interpreting  ii,  p.  167.  What  helps  and  aihllances  are 
requifite,  p.  167.  Hard  fate  of  the  beft  interpreters  of  this 
book,  p.  167.  Great  encouragement  hovve;er  in  the  divine 
benediction,  p.    168. 

Chap.  1.  ver.  i,  2,  3:  contain  the  title  of  the  book,-  the 
fcop.i  and  defign  of  it,  and  ihe  blelling  on  him  that  readeth, 
and  on  tnem  that  atcend  to  it,  p.  169.  Ver.  4,  5,  6,  7,  8: 
the  dedication  to  the  {Qven  churches  of  Afia,  and  a  foiemn 
preface  to  (how  the  great  authority  of  the  divine  revealer, 
p.  169,  170.  Ver.  9 — 20:  the  place,  the  time,  and  man- 
ner ot  the  hrft  viiion,  p.  171,  172.  The  place,  Patmos, 
whether  St.  John  was  banifhed  in  the  reign  of  Nero  more 
probably  than  in  that  of  Domitian,  p.  172.  The  arguments 
for  this  opinion,  p.  183.  The  revelation  given  on  the 
Lord's  day,  p.  174.  The  manner  and  circumllances  of  the 
firft  viaon,  p.  174. 

Chap.  IL  liL  cont^iin  the  {Q\*en  epiftles  to  the  feven  churches 
of  Aha,  p.  175 — I.  Why  thefe  feven  addrefled  particular- 
h'"*  P*  '79*  Thefe  epiflles  not  propheuical,  but  peculiar  to 
the  church  of  that  age,  p.  179.  The  excellent  form  and 
flru61:ure  of  thefe  epiiUes,  p.  180.  In  v/hat  fenfe  they  may 
be  faid  to  be  prophetical,  p.  i8c.  Prefent  fla  e  of  the  feven 
churches,  p.  180,  &c.  Of  Ephefus,  p.  180,  181.  Of 
Smyrna,  p.  181,  182.  Of  Pergamus,  p.  182.  OfThya- 
tira,  p.  182,  183.  Of  Sardis,  p.  183.  Of  Philadelphia,  p. 
184.  Of  L^odicea,  p.  184.  Ufe  that  -we  are  to  make  of 
thcfe  judgments,  p.  184. 

Chap.  IV.  the  preparatory  vifion  to  things  which  muft  be 
hereafter,  p.  186.  The  fcenery  drawn  in  alluiion  to  the 
incampment  of  the  children  of  Ifrael  in  the  wildernefs,  and 
to  the  tabernacle  or  temple,  p.   187,  188. 

Chap.  V.  a  continuation  of  the  preparatory  vifion  in  order 
to  (how  the  great  importance  of  the  prophecies  here  deliver- 
ed, p.  188.  Future  events  fuppofed  to  be  written  in  a  book, 
p.  189.  This  book  fe.led  with  feven  fcals,  fignifying  fo 
many  periods  of  prophecy,  p.  190.  The  fon  of  God 
alone  qualified  to  open  the  feals,  ibid.  Whereupon  all 
creatures  fing  praifes  to  God  and  to  Chrift,  ibid. 


CONTENTS. 

Chap.  VI.  verf.  l,  2:  contaui  the  firft  f^al  or  period,  me- 
morable; for  conqu  jit,  p.  191.  This  period  commencejv  with 
Veipalian,  includes  ths  onqueil  of  Judea,  and  continauS 
during  ihe  reigns  of  the  Flavian  faiiily  and,  the  ihort  rji;^n 
of  Nerva,  ibid.  Verf  3  4:  the  fecond  fdal  or  period  not- 
ed for  war  and  liaughter,  p.  192.  This  period  commences 
with  Trajan,  ibid.  Comprehends  the  horrid  wars  and 
flaughrers  of  the  J:-ws  and  Romans  in  the  reigns  of  7'rajait 
and  Adrian,  p.  193,  194.  Continues  during  t^.e  reigns  of 
Trajan  and  his  facceliors  by  blood  or  ad;)p:ion,  p.  iq^ 
Verf.  5,  6:  the  third  f^al  or  period,  characlerifed  by  th& 
Uriel  execution  of  juflice,  and  b  -  the  procuration  of  corn. 
and  oil  and  wine,  p.  194.,  195.  This  period  commences 
with  Septimius  Sevtrus,  p.  196.  He  and  Alexander  Sevens 
jull:  and  fevere  emperois,  and  no  lefs  celebrated  for  procur- 
ing corn  and  oil,  &c.  ibid.  T^^is  period  continues  during 
the  reigns  of  the  Septiminian  famil  ,  ibid.  Yiiri\  7,  8:  the 
fourth  leal  or  period,  diftinguilh^^d  by  a  concurrence  of  evih 
war  and  famine,  and  peftiJencc  and  wild  beafts,  p.  196) 
197.  This  period  commences  with  Maximin,  p.  197.  The 
wars  of  this  period,  ibid.  'I^he  famines,  ibid.  The  pefti* 
lences,  p.  198.  The  wiid  beafis,  iqq.  This  period  from 
Maximin  to  Diocletian,  p.  200.  Verf.  9,  10,  11:  the 
fifth  feal  or  period,  r  tmarKable  for  a  dj  tadful  perfecution 
of  the  chriHians,  p.  200.  l>.is  &e  tenth  and  laic  general 
perfecution,  begun  by  Diocletian,  ibid.  From  hence  a 
memorable  aera,  called  the  aera  of  Diocletian,  or  a;rii  of 
martyrs,  p.  201.  Verf.  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  17:  the  fixth 
feal  or  period  remarkable  for  greater  changes  and  revolutions, 
exprellbd  by  great  commotion  in  the  earth  and  in  the  hea- 
vens, p.  201,  202.  No  change  greater  than  the  fubverfion 
of  the  Heathen,  and  eitabiifhment  of  the  Chriftian  religion, 
p.  202.  The  like  figures  of  fpeech  ufed  by  other  prophets, 
p.  202,  203.  The  fame  thing  exprefled  afterv/ards  in 
plainer  language,  p.  204. 

Chap.  VH.  a  continuation  of  the  fixth  feal  or  period,  p.  204. 
A  defcription  of  the  peace  of  the  church  in  Conftantine's 
time,  p.  206.  And  of  the  great  acceflion  of  converts  to  it, 
ibid.  Not  only  of  Jews,  but  of  all  nations,  p.  207.  This 
period  from  the  reign  of  Conftantine  the  great  to  the  death 
of  Theodolius  the  great,  p.  208. 


CONTENTS. 

Chap.  VIII.  i,  2,  3,  4)  5,  6:  The  fe^enth  feal  or  period  com- 
prehends (cvt^n  periods  dilliinguiihed  by  the  founding  of  kveii 
trumpets,  p,  209.  The  filence  of  half  an  hour  previous  to 
the  founding  of  the  trump>;i:s,  ibid.  As  tJie  feals  foretold 
the  ftate  of  the  Roman  empire  before  and  till  it  became 
Chriihan,  fo  the  trumpets  forsmow  the  fate  of  it  afterwards, 
p.  210.  The  defign  of  the  trumpets  to  roufe  the  nations 
againd  the  Roman  empire,  ibid.  Verf.  7  :  At  the  found- 
ing of  the  firft  trumpet  Alaric  and  his  Goths  invade  the 
Roiian empire,  twice  befiege  Rome,  and  fet  fire  to  it  in 
feveral  places,  ibid.  Verf.  8,  9 :  At  the  founding  of  the 
fccond  trumpet  Attilla  and  his  Huns  vi^afte  the  Roman  pro- 
vinces, and  compel  the  eaifern  emperor,  Theodolius  the 
fecond,  and  the  weftern  emperor,  Valentinian  the  third,  to 
fubmit  to  fhameful  terms,  p.  211,  212.  Verf.  10,  11:  At 
the  founding  of  the  third  trumpet  Genferic  and  his  Van- 
dals arrive  from  Africa,  fpoil  and  plunder  Rome,  and  fet 
fail  again  with  immenfe  weakh  and  innumerable  captives, 
p.  213.  Verf.  12:  At  the  founding  of  the  fourth  trumpet 
Odaccr  and  the  Heruli  put  an  end  to  the  very  name  of 
the  weftern  empire,  p.  214.  Theodoric  founds  the  king- 
dom of  the  Oftrogoths  in  Italy,  p.  214.  Italy  made  a  pro- 
vince of  the  eaftern  empire,  and  Rome  governed  bv  a  duke 
under  the  exarch  of  Ravenna,  p.  215.  V  erf.  13:  The  three 
following  trumpets  are  diftinguiihed  by  the  name  of  the  woe- 
trumpets,  and  the  two  following  relate  chiefly  to  the  down- 
fall of  the  eaftern  empire,  as  the  foregoing  did  to  the  down- 
fall of  the  wellern  empire,  p.  215. 

Chap.  IX.  verf.  i — 12:  a  prophecy  of  tnelocuftsor  the  Ara- 
bians under  their  falfe  prophet  Mohammed,  p.  216,  217. 
At  the  founding  of  the  fifth  trumpet  a  ftar  falls  from  hea- 
ven opens  the  bottomlefs  pit,  and  the  fun  and  air  are  dark- 
ened, p.  217.  Mohammed  fitly  compared  to  a  blazing 
ftar,  and  the  Arabians  to  jocufts,  ibid.  A  remarkable  co- 
incidence, that  at  this  time  the  fun  and  air  were  really  dark- 
ened, p.  217.  The  command  not  to  hurt  any  green  thing, 
or  any  tree,  how  fulfilled,  ibid.  Their  commiflion  to  hurt 
only  the  corrupt  and  idolatrous  Chriflians,  how  fulfilled,  p. 
218.  To  torment  the  Greek  and  Latin  churches,  but  not 
to  extirpate  either,  ibid.  Rcpulfedas  often  as  they  befieged 
Conftantinople,  ibid.  Thefe  locufts  defcribed  i'o  as  to  ihew 
that  not  real  but  figurative  loculls  v/ere  intended,  p.  219. 


CONTENTS. 

Likened  unto  horfes,  and  the  Arabians  famous  in  all  ages 
for  their  horfes  and  horfemanfliip,  ibid.  Having  on  their 
heads  as  it  were  crowns  like  gold,  ibid.  Their  faces  as  the 
faces  of  men,  and  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  p.  220.  Their 
teeth  as  the  teeth  of  lions,  their  breaft-plates  as  it  were 
breaft-plates  of  iron,  and  ihe  found  of  their  wings  as  the 
found  of  chariots,  p.  221.  Like  unto  fc  >rpions,  ibid. 
Their  king  called  the  deftroyer,  ibid.  Their  hurting  men 
five  months,  how  to  be  underftood,  p.  222,  &c.  Fulfilled 
in  every  poffibleconftruclion,  p.  222,  223.  Conclufion  of 
this  woe,  p,  224.  Verf.  13 — 21:  a  prophecy  of  the  Eu- 
phratean  horfemen  or  Turics  and  Othmans,  p.  224,  225. 
At  the  founding  of  the  fixth  trumpet  the  four  angels  or  four 
fultanies  of  the  Turks  and  Othmans  are  locfed  from  the 
river  Euphrates,  p.  225,  226.  In  what  fenfe  they  are  fald 
to  be  prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  month  and  a 
year,  to  llay  the  third  part  of  men,  p.  227,  228.  Their  nu- 
merous armies,  and  especially  their  cavalry,  p.  229.  Their 
delight  infcarlet,  blue  and  yellow,  ibid.  The  ufe  of  great 
guns  and  gun-powder  among  them,  p.  230.  Their  power 
to  do  hurt  by  their  tails,  or  the  polfonous  train  of  their  re- 
ligion, ibid.  The  miferable  condition  of  the  remains  of  the 
Greek  church  among  them,  p.  231.  The  Latin  or  wellern 
church  not  at  all  reclaimed  by  the  ruin  of  the  Greek  or  eafv 
tern  church,  but  ftill  perfift  in  their  idolatry  and  wickednefs, 
ibid. 

Chap.  X.  a  preparatory  vifion  to  the  prophecies  relating  to 
theweftern  church,  p.  232.  The  angel  with  the  litlle 
book  or  codicil  to  the  larger  book  of  Apocalyps,  p.  233. 
This  properly  difpofjd  under  the  fixth  trumpet,  to  defcribe 
theftateof  theweftern  church  after  the  defcription  of  the 
ftate  of  the  eaftern,  ibid.  Cannot  be  known  what  things 
were  meant  by  the  feven  thunders,  ibid.  Though  the  little 
book  defcribes  the  calamities  of  the  weftern  church,  yet  it 
is  declared  that  they  (hall  all  have  a  happy  period  under  the 
feven  trumpets,  p.  234.  St.  Jolm  to  publifh  the  contents  of 
this  little  hookas  well  as  the  larger  book  of  the  Apocalyps,  ibid. 

Chap.  XL  verf.  2 — 14.  the  contents  of  the  little  book,  p. 
235,  &c.  The  meafuring  of  the  temple  to  fhow  that  dur- 
ing all  this  period  there  were  fjme  true  Chriftians,  who 
conformed  to  the  rule  and  meafure  of  God's  word,  p.  236. 
The  church  to  be  trodden  underfoot  by  Gentiles  in  wor- 


CONTENTS. 

ihip  ancir  praS:ice  forty  and  two  months,  ibid.  Some  true 
witnefl'es  however  to  protefl  againft  the  corruptions  of  reli- 
gion, ibid.  Why  faid  to  be  two  v/itnefles.  ibid.  To  pro- 
phecy in  fackcloth,  ss  long  as  the  grand  corruption  itlelf 
lalled,  p.  237.  The  character  of  thefe  witnefles,  and  of 
the  power  and  cfFcut  of  their  preaching,  p.  237.  The  pafTi- 
on,  and  death,  and  refurreciion,  and  afccniion  of  the  wit- 
nelTcs,  p.  238,  239.  Some  apply  this  prophecy  of  the 
death  and  relurrecStion  of  the  witneiTes  to  John  Hufs  and  Je- 
rome of"  Prague,  whofs  dodlrine  revived  after  their  death  ia 
their  followers,  p.  240.  Ouhers  to  the  proteftants  of  the 
league  of  Smalcaid,  wlio  were  enjirely  routed  by  the  emperor 
Charles  V.  in  the  battle  of  Mulburg,  but  upon  the  change  of 
nffairs  the  emperor  was  obliged  by  the  treaty  of  Paflau  to  al- 
low them  the  free  exercife  of  their  religion,  p.  241.  Some 
again  to  the  mafiacre  of  the  proteftants  in  France,  and  to 
Kenry  Ill's  afterwards  granting  them  the  free  exercife  of 
their  religion,  ibid.  Otliers  again  to  later  events,  Peter  Jurieu 
to  the  pej  fecuiion  of  the  proteftants  by  Lewis  XIV.  Bifhop 
Lloyd  and  Whifton  to  the  Duke  of  Savoy's  perfecution  of 
the  proteftants  ia  the  vallies  of  Piedmont,  and  his  re-eftab- 
lifhing  them  afterwards,  p,  242,  243.  In  all  thefe  cafes 
there  may  be  fome  refemblance,  but  none  of  thefe  is  the 
laft  perfecution,  and  therefore  this  prophecy  remains  yet  to 
be  fulfilled,  ibid.  When  it  fliall  be  accompiifhed,  the  fixth 
trumpet  and  the  fecond  woe  (hall  end,  ibid.  An  hift'orical 
deduction  tofhowthat  there  have  been  fom.e  true  witneftes, 
who  have  profelTed  docirines  contrary  to  thofe  of  the  church 
of  Romjc,  from  the  feventh  century  dov/n  to  the  Reforma- 
tion, p.  244,  &c.  Witneffes  in  the'eighth  century,  ibid. 
'1  he  emperors  Leo  Ifaricus  and  Conftantine  Copronymus, 
and  the  council  of  Conftantinople,  p.  244,  245.  Charle- 
main  and  the  council  of  Francfort,  p.  245.  The  Britifh 
churches  and  Aicuin,  ibid.  The  council  ot  Forojulio,  ibid. 
Paulinus  bifhop  of  Aquileia,  p.  246.  Witneftes  in  the 
ninth  century,  p.  245,  246.  The  emperors  of  the  eaft,  Ni- 
ccphorus,  Leo  Armenius,  6cc.  and  the  emperors  of  the  weft, 
Charles  the  great,  and  Lewis  the  pious,  ibid.  The  coun- 
cil of  Paris,  ibid.  Agobard  archbifticp  of  Lyons,  ibid. 
Tranfubftantiation  firlt  advanced  by  Pafchanus  R^dbertus, 
and  oppofcd  by  nisny  learned  men,  ibid.  Rabanus  Manrus, 
ibid.     Berlramus,  ibid.  Johannee  Scotus,  ibid.  Aneilbertus 


C     O     N    T    E    KT    T     S. 


•in. 


and  the  church  of  Milan,  P.  247.  Claude  bifhop  of  Tur 
p.  248.  Witnefles  in  the  tenth  century,  P.  249,  &c. 
State  of  this  century,  P.  249.  The  council  of  Tro'ly,  ibid. 
Athclftan,  P.  25c.  Elfere  earl  of  iNiercia,  ibid,  lleriger 
and  AlfrJc,  ibid.  The  council  ofPihtfims;  and  Gcrbert 
archbifhoj3  of  Rhcims,  P.  251.  WitnelTes  in  the  eleventh 
century,  P.  252,  &c.  State  of  this  century,  ibid.  William 
the  conqueror,  and  William  Kufus,  ibid.  Heretics  of  Or- 
leans, ibid.  Heretics  in  Flanders,  P.  253.  Berengarius 
and  his  followers,  ibid.  Ecclefiaflics  in  Germany,  &c.  ibid. 
The  council  of  Wincheiler,  P.  254.  Witnelles  in  the 
twelfth  century,  P.  254,  &c.  The  conftitutions  of  Claren- 
don, ibid.  Fluentius,  P.  255.  St.  Bernard,  ibid.  Joachim 
of  Calabria,  ibid.  Peter  de  Bruis  and  Henry  liis  difciple, 
ibid.  Arnold  of  Erefcia,  P.  256.  The  V/aldenfes  and 
Albiaenfes,  ibid.  Their  opinions,  ibid.  Teltimonies  con- 
cerning this  feci,  P.  257,  &c.  Of  Reinerius,  the  inquili- 
tor-general,  P.  259*  Of  Thuanus,  P- 260.  OfMezcray, 
P.  261.  Witneil'es  in  the  thirteenth  century,  ibid.  Farther 
account  of  the  Waldenfes  snd  Albigenfes,  ibid-  Almiric 
and  his  difciples,  P.  262.  William  of  St.  Amour,  ibid. 
Robert  Grolthead  or  Greathead,  biihop  of  Lincoln,  P.  263, 
Matthew  Paris,  ibid.  Witnefies  in  the  fourteenth  century, 
P.  264.  Dante  and  Petrarch,  ibid.  Peter  Fitz  Caffiodor, 
ibid.  Michael  Csfenas  and  William  Occam,  ibid.  Marlilius 
of  Padau,  ibid.  In  Germsny  and  England  the  Lollards,  P. 
265.  The  famous  John  Wickliif,  ibid.  The  Lollards  re- 
monftrance  to  the  parliament,  ibid.  WitnefTes  in  rhe  fif- 
teenth  century,  ibid.  The  followers  of  WickhiT,  ibid. 
William  Sawtre,  P.  267.  Thomas  Badby,  ibid.  Sir  John 
Oldcaflk,  ibid.  In  Bohemia  John  Hufs  and  Jerome  of 
Prague,  268.  Opinions  of  the  Bohemians  or  Hulhtes,  268, 
&c*  Jerome  Savonarola,  P.  268,  &c.  In  the  fixteenth  cen- 
tury the  Fteformation,  P.  271.  Hence  an  anfwer  to  the 
popilh  queflien,  Where  was  your  religion  before  Luther? 
P.  272.  Verf.  15,  16,  17,  18:  a  fummary  account  of 
the  feventh  trumpet  and  the  third  woe,  the  particulars  wiii 
be  enlarged  upon  hereafter^  P.  273.  Conclufion  of  the  lir/i 
pai't,  P.  273,  274- 


CONTENTS. 

DISSERTATION    XXV. 

Ui  An  ALY  SIS  of  the  Revelation. 

Part   1L 

^'  '^75 — 391- 
ine  right  divifion  of  the  Revelation  into  t\vo  parts,  P.  27  S' 
This  latter  part  an  enlargement  and  iUuftration  ofthefor- 
n:er,  P.  276.     Verf.  19.   of  the  eleventh   chapter  ihould 
have  been  made  verf.  i.  of  the  twelfth  chapter,  P.  276,  277. 
Chap.  XII.  verf.  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6:  the  church  perfecuted  by 
the  great  red  dragon,  P.  277,  &:c.     The  church  reprefent- 
ed  as  a  mother  bearing  children  unto  Chrift,  P.  279.     The 
great  red  dragon  the  Heathen  Roman   empire,  ibid.     His 
jealouiy  of  the  church  from  the  beginning,   ibid.     But  yet 
the  church  brought  many  children  unto  Chrift,  and  in  time 
luch  as  were  promoted  to  the   empire,  ibid.     Conitantine 
particularly,  who  ruled  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron,  P.  280. 
The  woman's  flight  into  the   wildernefs  here  anticipated, 
tometh  in  properly   afterwards,  ibid.     Verf.  7 — 12:  the 
^var  in  heaven  reprefentsthe  conteftsbetv.een  the  Heathen 
and  Chriftian  religions,  P.  280,  281.      The  chriftian   pre- 
vails over  the  heathen  religion,  P.  281.     Conftantine  him- 
iclf  and  the  Chriilians  of  his   time  defcribe  his   conqueils 
under  the  fame  image,  ibid.     Still  new    woes,  thoug^h  but 
for  a  ihort  time,   threatened  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth, 
P.  282.  Verf.  13 — 17.    The  dragon  depofed  ftill  perfecutes 
ilie  church,  P.  283,  284.     Attempts  to  reflore  the  Pagan, 
nndruin  the  Chriftian  religion,  P.  2S4.      The  church  now 
under  the  protcdion  of  the  empire,  ibid.     Her  flight  after- 
wards into  the  wildernefs,  ibid.     Inundations   of  barbarous 
nations  excited  to  overwhelm  the  Chriftian   religion,  ibid. 
But  on  the  contrary,  the  Heathen  conc|uerors  fubmit  to  the 
religion  of  the  conquered  Chriftians,  ibid.    Another  method 
of  perfecuting  thecluirch,  P.  28^. 
Cii^^ P.  XIII.  verf.  I — 10;  the  dcfcription  of  the  ten  horned 
bcnfl  fnccefibr  to  the  great  red  dragon,  P.    285,  &c.    All, 
hotli  pnpifts  and  proteltants,  agree  that  the  beafl:  rcprefents 
the  r»ni!ian  empire,  P.  206.    Shown  to  be  not  Pagan   but 
Chriflian,  not  iniperial  butpaparRome,  P.  2^87.    How  fuc- 


CONTENT    S. 

ceflbr  to  the  great  red  dragon,  P.  288.  How  one  of  his 
.  heads  was  as  it  were  wounded  to  death,  and  his  deadly  wound 
was  healed,  ibid.  The  world  in  lubmitting  to  the  religion 
of  the  beaffc  did  in  efFeft  fubmit  again  to  the  religion  of 
the  dragon,  P.  289.  The  beaft  perfedly  like  the  little  horn 
in  Daniel,  ibid.  A  general  account  of  his  blafphemies  and 
exploits,  and  how  long  to  prevail  and  profper,  P.  290.  A 
particular  account  of  his  blafphemies,  ibid.  His  making 
war  with  the  faints,  and  overcoming  them,  and  foeltabliih- 
ing  his  authority,  p.  291.  An  admonition  to  engage  at- 
tention, ibid.  Something  added  by  way  of  confolation  to 
the  church,  P.  292.  Verf.  11 — 18:  the  defcription  of 
the  two  horned  beaft,  P.  292,  &:c.  The  ten-horned  beaft, 
the  Roman  ftate  in  general,  the  two-horned  beaft  the  Ko- 
man  clergy  in  particular,  P.  293.  His  rife,  and  power,  and 
authority,  P.  294.  His  pretended  miracles,  ibid.  His  mak- 
ing an  image  to  the  beaft,  P.  295.  What  this  image  of  the 
beail  is',  P.  296.  His  interdid-s  and  excommunications,  P. 
297,  298.     The  number  of  the  beaft  explained,  P.  299,  &c^ 

Chap.  XIV.  verf.  i,  2,  3,  4,  5:  the  ftate  of  the  iruv-  church 
in  oppofition  to  that  ot  the  beaft,  P.  302,  &c.  Verf.  6,  7  : 
the  tirft  principal  effort  towards  a  reformation  in  the  pubhc 
oppofition  of  emperors  and  biJhops  to  the  worlhip  of  faints 
and  images  in  the  eighth  and  ninth  centuries,  P.  303,  &c. 
Verf.  8  :  another  etibrt  by  the  V/aldenfes  and  Al*bigenfes, 
who  pronounced  the  church  of  Rome  to  be  the  Apacah/ptic 
Babylon,  and  denounced  her  deftruclion,  P.  305^  &c.  Verf. 
9 — 13:  third  etfort  by  Martin  Luther  and  his  fellow  rc^ 
formers,  who  protefted  againft  all  the  corruptions  of  the 
church  ©f  Rome,  as  deftrudive  of  falvation,  P.  307,  Sic- 
Afolemn  declaration  from  heaven  to  comfort  them,  P.  308c 
How  the  dead  were  bleffed  from  henceforth,  P.  308,  309. 
Verf.  14 — 20:  reprefent  the  judgments  of  God  upon  the 
followers  and  adherents  of  the  beaft  under  the  lio-ares,  iirft 
of  harveft,  then  of  vintage,  P.  310,  31 1.  Thefe  judgments 
yet  t©  be  fuliilled,  ibid. 

Chap.  XV.  a  preparatory  vifion  to  the  pouring  out  of  tlie 
ieven  vials,  P.  312,  &c.  Thefe  feven  laft  plagues  belong 
to  the  feventh  and  laft  trumpet,  or  the  third  and  laft  woe- 
trumpet,  and  confequently  are  net  yet  fulfilled,  P.  -^17. 
Seven  angels  appointed  to  pour  out  the  {'even  vjals.  P. 
3M- 


CONTENTS, 

€tt.\P'  XV f.  verf.  i  ;  the  commiflion  to  pour  out  the  feven 
vials^  which  are  fo  many  Aeps  of  the  ruin  of  the  Roman 
church,  as  the  trumpets  were  ot  the  ruin  of  the  Roman 
ercpii-e,  P»  3 15.  Roiue  refembles  Egypt  in  her  puniihments 
as  well  j^s  in  her  crimes,  ibid.  Verf.  2 :  the  firil  vigl  or 
plague,  ibid.  Verf.  3,  4,  5,  6,  7  :  the  fecond  and  third  vials 
or  plagues,  P.  316.  Verf.  8,  9 :  the  fourth  vial  or  plague, 
P.  317.  Verf.  10,  II:  the  filth  vial  or  plague,  ibid. 
Verf.  12,  13,  14,15,  16:  the  fjxth  vial  or  plague,  p.  318. 
Verf.  17,  18,  19,20,21:  thefevcnthorlaft  vial  or  plague, 
P.  319,  32c. 

Ck^ap.  XVII.  Having  feen  hov/  Rome  refembles  Egypt  in 
her  plagues,  we  ftiall  now  fee  her  fall  compared  to  Babylon, 
p.  321.  Verf.  I — 6:  an  account  premifed  of  her  Itate 
and  condition,  P.  321,  &c.  St.  John  called  upon  to  fee 
the  condemnation  and  execution  of  the  great  whore,  P.  322, 
This  charader  more  proper  to  modern  than  ancient  Rome, 
p.  323.  Ker  fitting  upon  a  fcarlet-colourecl  beaft  with  {^'.ven 
heads  and  ten  horns,  ibid.  Her  ornaments  of  purple  and 
fcarlet  colour,  with  gold  and  precious  {lone,  and  pearls,  ibid. 
Her  inchanting  cup,  P.  324'  Her  infcription  upon  her 
forekcad,  325,  326.  Her  being  drunken  with  the  blood  of 
the  frtints,  P.  327.  Verf.  7 — 18:  the  angel  explains  the 
myfleryof  the  woman,  and  of  the  beaft  that  carried  her,  P. 
327,  &c.  A  general  account  of  the  beaft  and  his  threefold 
iUte,  P.  328.  The  [even  heads  are  explained  primarily  to 
fignify  the  feven  mountains  on  which  Rome  is  (ituated,  P. 
329.  Alfo  to  fignify  feven  forms  of  government,  ibid. 
What  ths  five  fallen,  ibid.  What  the  fixth,  ibid.  What 
the  feventh  or  eighth,  P.  331.  The  ten  horns  explained 
to  fignify  ten  kings  or  kingdoms,  P.  331,  332.  Their  giv- 
ing their  power  and  flrength  unto  the  beaft,  P.  332.  The 
exteniivenefs  of  the  power  and  dominion  of  Rome,  P.  332, 
333.  The  fame  king3,  v/ho  helped  to  raife  her,  to  pull  her 
down,  P.  333.  The  v/oman  explained  to  fignify  the  great 
city,  cr  Rome,  P.  334. 

Chap.  XVIIJ.  verf.  i — 8;  a  defcription  of  the  fall  and 
deilruaionoffpirirual  Babylon,  P.  334,  Sec.  To  become 
the  habitaiion  of  devils  and  foul  fpirits,  P.  335,336.  A 
warning  to  forfake  her  communion,  ibid.  To  be  utterly 
burnt  with  fire,  ibid.     Verf.  9—20  :  the  confequences  o'f 


CONTENTS. 

her  fall,  the  lamentations  of  fome,  and  rejoicings  of  others, 
P.  337,  &c.     Verf.  21 — 24;  her  utter  defolation  foretold, 

^  P-  332,  339- 

Chap.  XIX.  verf.   i  — 10:    the  church  exhorted  to  praife 

God  for  his  judgments  upon  her,   P.  340.     Her  fmoke   to 

rife  up  for  ever  and  ever,  P.  341.     God  alfo  to  be   praifed 

for  the  happy  Itate  of  the  reformed  church  in  this  period, 

ibid.     St.  John  prohibited  to  woriliip  the  angel,  P.    342. 

Verf.  1 1 — 2 1 :  the  vidory  and  triumph  of  Chriit  over  the 

beaft  and  the  falfe  prophet,  P.  342,  &:c. 

Chap.  XX.  verf.  i — 6.  Satan  is  bound,  and  the  famous 
millennium  commences,  or  the  refurrection  of  the  faints 
and  their  reign  upon  earth  for  a  thoufand  years,  P.  344, 345. 
The  millenium  not  yet  fulfilled,  though  the  refurre£lioii 
be  taken  figuratively,  P.  345.  But  the  refurrection  to  be 
underftood  literally,  P.  347.  Other  prophets  have  foretold, 
that  there  Ihall  be  fuch  a  happy  period  as  the  millenium^ 
ibid.  St.  John  only,  that  the  martyrs  ihall  rife  to  partake 
of  it,  and  that  it  ihall  continue  a  thoufand  years,  P.  347. 
The  Jewiih  and  Chriftian  church  have  both  believed,  that 
thefe  thoufand  years  will  be  the  feventh  miUennary  of  the 
world,  ibid  Quotations  from  Jewiih  writers  to  this  pur- 
pofe,  p.  348.  From  Chriftian  writers,  St.  Barnabas,  Jullin 
Martyr,  TertuUian,  Laftantius,  kc  P.  349,  &c.  How 
rhisdodrine  grew  afterwards  into  difrepute,  P.  352.  Great 
caution  required  in  treating  of  it,  P.  353.  Verf.  7 — 10; 
Satan  to  be  loofed  again,  and  to  deceive  the  nations,  Gog 
and  Magog,  P.  354,  &c.  How  Gog  and  Magug  are  to  be 
underftood,  P.  354,  355.  The  firial  overthrow  of  Satan, 
P.  356.  Verf.  II — 15;  the  general  reiurrecdon  and  judg- 
menr,  and  end  of  the  world,  ibid. 

Chap.  XXI.  verf.  1-^8  ;  the  new  heaven,  the  new  earth,and 
the  new  Jerufalem,  P.  356.  The  nev/  heaven  and  the  new 
earth  to  take  place  after  the  millejiium,  P«  357 — 359 
Verf.  9^ — 27;  a  more  particular  defcription  of  the  new 
Jerufalem,  P.  359 — 362. 

Chap.  XXII.  verf.  I — 5:  a  continuation  of  the  delcripcioii 
of  the  New-Jerufalem,  P.  362,  363.  Verf.  6 — 7:  aratifi 
cation  and  confirmation  of  the_  foregoing  particulars,  witi. 
a  blelhng  upon  thofe  who  keep  the  fayisig  of  this  book,  F- 
363.  Verf.  & — 21;  in  the  concluiion,  i'e^eral  prtfticular. 
10  cQnfiriW  the  divine  authority  of  th:5  baok,  P.  36.3 — 365. 


C     O     N     T    E.    N     T     S. 

This  book  that  fure  word  of  prophecj^  mentioned  by  St- 
Peter,  P.  366,  367.  A  -Joable  bielling  upon  thole  vvh© 
lludy  and  oblerve  it,  P.  it'/' 


DISSERTATION    XXVI. 
Recapitulation  of  the  Prophecies  rf-/.'?//;;^/©  Popery. 

.  •         ^-  3<^8— 392. 

Papery  being  the  great  corruption  of  Chrifiianity,  there  are 
more  prophecies  relating  to  that  than  to  almoft  any  other 
diitant  event.  P.  368.  Itkthoughtpropcr  to  reprefentthefe 
in  one  view,  P.  368.  I.  It  is  fore  cold  that  there  Inould  befuch 
a  power  as  that  of  the  Pope  and  church  of  Rome  ufurped  in 
the  Chrillian  world,  P.  368,  &c.  A  tyrannical,  idolatrous, 
av.d  antichriltian  power  foretold,  P.  368,  369.  A  great  apof- 
tacy  in  the  church  foretold,  P.  369.  This  apoftafy  to  con- 
liit  chietiy  in  the  worihipping  of  demons  angels  and  departed 
faints,  p.  369.  The  fame  church  that  is  guilty  of  this  ido- 
latry, to  forbid  marrriage  and  iujoin  abftinence  from  meats, 
p.  369.  The  Pope's  making  himfelf  equal  and  even  fupe- 
rior  to  God,  P.  369,  370.  His  extending  his  authority  and 
jurifdittionover  feveral  countries  and  nations,  P.  37c.  The 
power  and  riches  of  the  clergy,  P.  37c.  The  pomp  and 
Iplendor  of  their  ceremonies  and  veftments.  P.  370,  371. 
. 'i  heir  policy^  and  lies,  and  pious  frauds,  P.  371.  Their  pre- 
tended viiionsand miracles, p.  371.  Theh* excommunications 
of  heretics,  P.  371.  Their  making  war  with  the  faints,  aud 
prevailing  againitthem,  P.  372.  Befides  thefedirec% other 
more  olique  prophecies,  p.  372,  kc  Babylon,  Tyre, 
Egypt  the  types  of  Home,  P.  372-  Morefrequent  intima- 
tionsof  popery  in  the  Nev/.Teftament,  P.  373.  In  our 
Saviour's  caution  in  giving  honor  to  his  mother,  and  in  re- 
buking St.  Peter,  P.  373.  In  his  inititutionof  thelaftfupper, 
p.  373.  In  hisr^proving  fo particularly  the  vicesof  the  Scribes 
and  Pharifees,  P.  373.  In  his  prohibitions  of  implicitfaith  and 
obedience,  of  the  worfliip  of  angels,  ofall  pretences  to  works 
of  merit  and  fupererogation,  of  lording  it  over  God's  heri- 
tage, of  the  ferv'iceof  God  in  an  unknown  tongue,  <^c.  P.  374. 
\\\  St.  PauPs  adinoniihing  the  Romans  to  beware  of  apolhfy, 


CONTENTS. 

p.  ?  74..  In  Sr.  Peter's  and  St.  Jude's  defcriptionof  falfc  teach- 
ers, p.  3  74,  3 1^.    In  St  Paul' s  prediction  of  the  corruption  of 
the  lalt  days,  P.  ijc^.     II.    Not   only    fftretold    that  there 
iliould  be  fuch  a  power,  but  the  place  and  the  perfons  like  wife 
are  pointed  out.  P.  375,  &c.    In  DaniePs  defcription  of  the 
little  horn  which  only  one   perfon  in  the    world    can    full3'' 
anlwei-,  P.  375,  376.   Daniel's  character  of  the  blafpheinoiis 
kincT,  which  agrees  better  with  the  head  of  the  Roman,  than 
with  the  head  of  the  Greek   church,  P.   376^  377.    In  St. 
Paul's  portrait  of  the  man  of  fm,  P.  377,378.     In  St.  John's 
vifion  of  the  ten-horned  beafl.  and  of  the  woman  riding  up- 
on the  beaft,  P.  378.     Several  arguments  to  Ihow  that  not 
Pagan,  but  papal  Rome  was  intended,  P.  379,    380.     III. 
Belides  the  place  and  the  perfons,  the  time  alfo  is  (ignified 
of  this  tyrannical  power,  when,  and  how  long,  P.  380,  he. 
To  arife  in  the  latter  days  of  tlse  Fvonian  empire,   P.  380, 
381.     To  prevail  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty  years, 
t.  381.     The  beginning  of  thefe  one  thoufand  two  hun- 
dred  and  fixty' years  not  to   be  dated  too   carly^  P.  382. 
To  be  fixed  in  the  eighth  century,  and  probably  in  theyear 
feven  hundred  and  twenty-feven,   P.  382,  383.     IV.  The 
fall  and  deflruction  of  this  antichriilian   power,    P.  383,  &c. 
The  fecond  woe  of  the  Othman  empire  muft  end,   before 
the  third  woe  can  be  poured  out  upon  the  kingdom  of  the 
beaft,  P.  384.     The  divine  judgjnents  upon  the  kingdom  of 
the  beaft  difplayed  uader  variety  of  figures  and  reprefen- 
tations,  P.  384,  385.    Antichrilt   and  liis  feat   both  to  be 
deftroyed  by  fire,  386,  387.     About  the  time  of  the  fall  of 
Othman  empire  and  of  the  Chriftian  antichrift,  the  conver- 
fion  and  reflcration  of  the  Jews,  P.  3S7,  ^88.    The  pro- 
per order  of  thefe   events,   388.     After  the  defLrudtion  of 
Antichrill  the  glorious  millenium  commences,  or  the  king- 
dom of  Chrift  upon  earth  for  a  thoufand   years,   388,389. 
Bed  to  forbear  all  curious  enquiries  into  this  fubjed:,  P.   389, 
390.  After  the  thoufand  years  and  the  generaljudgment,  the 
world  to  be  deftroyed,  and  the  new  heaven    and    the   new 
earth    to  fiKceed,  P.   39c.    Concluiion  ;  the  corruptions  of 
popery  being  fo  particularly  foretold,  we  have  the  lefs  rea- 
fon  to  be   furprized  and  olfendcd  at  them,   P.  390.     1  he 

fofpel  will  finally  prevail  over  all  enemies  and   oppofcrs, 
'•391- 


CONTENTS. 


CONCLUSION. 

p.  392—408. 

From  thefe  inftances  of  the  truth  of  prophecy  may  be  inferred 
the  truth  of  revelation  ;  P.  392.  Afummary  view  of  the 
prophecies  now  fuHilling  in  the  world,  P.  392,  394.  A 
large  quotation  from  Dr.  Clark  tending  to  confirm  and  il- 
luftrate  the  fame  fubjec%  P.  394 — 403.  No  room  for  any 
poflible  forgery  of  the  prophecies,  P.  403.  The  harmony, 
variety  and  beauty  of  the  prophetic  writings,  P.  403. 
Though  fome  parts  are  obfcurefor  good  reafons,  yet  others 
are  fufficiently  clear,  and  the  perfed  completion  will  pro- 
duce a  perfed:  underftanding  of  all  the  prophecies,  P.  404. 
Human  learning  requilite  to  explain  the  prophecies,  and 
particularly  a  competent  knowledge  of  hiftory,  P.  404. 
The  patrons  of  infidelity  are  only  pretenders  to  learning 
and  knowledge,  P.  405.  Modern  infidelity  worfe  even 
than  that  of  the  Jews,  P.  405-  So  many  inftances  of  pro- 
phecies and  their  completions,  the  ftrongeft  atteftations  of  a 
divine  revelation,  P.  405,  406.  Miracles  and  other  proofs 
of  the  truth  of  the  Chriftian  religion,  P.  406.  Prophecies 
accomplidied  the  greateft  of  all  miracles,  P.  406.  Conclu- 
lion,  p.  407. 


•^  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :  ^ 

ass — . —        j^m^2sti=^=-=-=^ 


DISSERTATIONS 


O  N    T  H  E 


PROPHECIES, 


WHICH  HAVE  REMARKABLY  6EEN  FULFILLED,  AND,  AT 
THIS  TIME,  ARE    FULFILLING  IN  THE  WORLD,- 


INTRODUCTION 

to  the  Lecture  founded  by  the  Honorable 

ROBERT   BOYLE, 

January  5,  1756. 

THERE  is  not  a  ftronger  or  more  convincing  proof  of  di-» 
vine  revelation,  than  th'd  fure  If  "ord  of  Prophecy.  But  to 
the  truth  of  prophecy  it  is  objecled,  that  the  predictions  were 
Written  after  the  events;  and  could  it  be  proved  as  Well  as  af- 
ferted,  it  would  really  be  an  infuperable  objection.  It  was 
thought,  therefore,  that  a  greater  fervice  could  not  be  done  to 
the  caufe  of  ChriiHanitv,  than  by  an  induction  of  particulars  to 
Ihow,  that  tbe  predictions  were  prior  to  the  events;  nay,  that 
feveral  prophecies  have  becji  fulfilled  in  thcfc  later  ages,  and 
are  fid  filling,  even  at  this  prefent  time:  And  for  the  fai-ther 
Vol.  II.  E 


42  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

profecution,  and  the  better  encouragement  of  this  work,  I  have 
been  called  to  preach  thefe  le6lures,  by  the  favor  and  recom- 
ir.endation  oi  the  gr  eot prelate^  who,  having  himfelf  written  molt 
excellently  of  the  ufe  and  intent  of  prophecy^  is  aifo  willing  to  re- 
ward and  encourage  any  one  who  beftows  his  time  and  pains 
upon  the  fame  fubje6t.  The  ready  and  gracious  concurrence  of 
the  ( I )  other  trullees  was  an  additional  honor  and  favor,  and  is 
deferving  of  the  moft  grateful  acknowledgments.  Engaging  in 
this  fervice  may,  indeed,  have  retarded  the  publication  of  thefe 
difcourfes  longer  than  was  intended,  but,  perhaps,  they  may  be 
the  better  for  the  delay,  fmce  there  have  been  more  frequent  oc- 
cafions  to  review  and  reconnder  them,  and  time  corre6ls  and 
improves  works  as  well  as  generous  wines,  at  leaft  affords  op- 
portunities of  correcting  and  improving  them. 

This  work  hath  already  been  deduced  to  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel;  and  as  fome  time  and  pains  have  been  employed  in 
explaining  fome  part  of  his  prophecies,  and  m.ore  will  be  taken 
in  explaining  other  parts;  it  may  be  proper,  before  we  proceed, 
to  coufider  the  principal  objections  which  have  been  made  to 
the  genuinenefs  of  the  book  of  Daniel.  It  was  before  afferted, 
that  the  firft  v/ho  called  in  quellion  the  truth  and  authenticity 
of  Daniel's  prophecies,  was  the  famous  Prophyry,  who  main- 
tained that  they  were  v/ritten  about  the  time  of  Antiochus  E- 
piphanes;  but  he  was  amply  refuted  by  (2)  Jerome,  and  hath 
been,  and  v/ill  be  more  amply  refuted  ftill  in  the  courfe  of  thefe 
dillertations.     A  modern  inhdel  hath  followed  Porphyry's  ex- 

NOTES. 

( I )  The  truflecs  appointed  by  Mr.  Boyle  himfelf,  were  Sir  John 
Rotheram,  Serjeant  at  Law,  Sir  Henry  Afhurfl,  of  London,  Knt.  and 
Bart.  Thomas  Tennifon,  D.  D.  afterwards  Archbiftop  of  Canterbury, 
and  John  Evelyn,  Efq;  Archbifhop  Tennifon,  the  furvlvor  of  thefe 
nominated  and  appointed  for  trullees,  Richard,  Earl  of  Burlington; 
Dr,  Edmond  Gibibn,  then  Archdeacon  of  Surry,  afterwards  Lord 
Bilhop  of  London  ;  Dr.  Charles  Trimnel,  then  Bifhop  of  Norwich, 
afterwards  Bifhop  of  Wincheller ;  Dr.  White  Kennet,  then  V")ean,  af- 
terwards Bifhop  of  Peterborough  ;  and  Dr.  Samuel  Bradford,  then 
Reftor  of  St.  Mary  Le  Bow,  afterwards  Bifhop  of  Rocheller.  The 
Earl  of  Burh*np;ton,  being  the  only  furviving  trullee,  appointed  to  fuc- 
ceed  him  in  the  faid  trufl.  William,  then  Marquis  of  Hartington,  nov/ 
Puk  J  of  Dcvonfhire;  Dr.  Thomas  Sherlock,  Lord  Bifhop  of  London  ; 
Dr.  Martin  Benlon,  Lord  Bifhop  of  Gloucefter  ;  Dr.  Thomas  Seeker, 
Lord  Bifliop  of  Oxford,  now  Archbifhop  of  Canteibury;  and  the 
Honorable  Richard  Anindell,  Efq;  one  of  whom,  Bifhop  Benfon,  died 
before,  and  Mr.  Arundell  fincethe  appointment  of  the  prefent  ledurer, 

( I )  Hicron  comment,  in  Dan.  Vol  •  3.  Edit.  Benedi<^. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  43 

ample,  and  his  Scheme  of  literal  Prophecy  hath  heaped  together 
all  that  he  could  find  or  invent  againlt  the  book  of  Daniel,  and 
hath  comprlfed  the  whole  in  eleven  obje6lions,  in  order  to  Ihew 
that  the  book  v/as  written  about  the  time  of  the  Maccabees  : 
but  he  likewife  hath  been  refuted,  to  the  fatisfadion  of  every 
intellio-ent  and  impartial  reader;  as  indeed  there  never  were 
any  arguments  urged  in  favor  of  infidelity,  but  better  were  al- 
wavs  produced  in  fupport  of  truth.  The  fubftance  of  his  (3) 
cbjeciions,  and  of  the  anfwers  to  him,  may,  with  truth  and  can- 
dor, be  reprefented  in  the  following  m.anuer. 

1.  It  is  obje6ted,  that  the  famous  Daniel,  mentioned  by  Eze- 
kiel,  could  not  be  the  author  of  the  book  of  Daniel;  becaufe  Eze- 
kiel  who  prophecied  in  the  ffth  year  of  ychoiakm^  king  of 
Judah,  implies  Daniel  at  that  time  to  be  a  perfon  in  years ; 
whereas  the  book  of  Daniel  fpeaks  of  Daniel  at  that  time  as  a 
youth.  But  here  the  objector  is  either  ignorantly  or  wilfully 
guiltv  of  grofs  mifreprefentation.  F-or  Ezekiel  did  not  pro- 
phecy in  the  fifth  year  of  yehoiakirn^  nor  in  the  reign  of  Je- 
hoiakim  at  all ;  but  he  began  to  prophecy  in  the  fifth  year  of 
king  Jehoiachin^s  captivity^  the  fon  and  fuccefibr  ot  Jehoiakim, 
Ezek.  i.  2.  that  is  eleven  years  after.  When  Daniel  was  firft 
carried  Into  captivity,  he  might  be  a  youth  (4)  about  eighteen  :, 
but  when  Ezekiel  magnified  his  pietv  and  wifdom.  Chap.  xiv. 
and  xxviii.  he  was  between  thirty  and  forty  ;  and  feverar  years 
before  that  he  had  interpreted  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream^  and 
was  advanced,  Dan.  ii.  48.  to  be  "  ruler  over  the  v/hole  pro- 
"  vince  of  Babylon,  and  chief  of  the  governors  over  all  the 
''  wife  men  of  Babylon;"  and  was  therefore  very  fit  and  wor- 
thy to  be  celebrated  by  his  fellov/  captive  Ezekiel. 

2.  His  fecond  objecfion  is,  that  Daniel  is  reprefented  in  the 
book  of  Daniel,  as  living  chieflv  at  the  courts  of  the  kings  of 
Babylon  aiid  Perfia ;  and  yet  the  names  of  the  feveral  kings  of 
his  time  are  all  mifiakcn  in  the  book  of  Daniel.  It  is  alfo 
more  fuited  to  a  fabulous  writer,  than  to  a  contemporary  hiifo- 
rian,  to  talk  of  Nebuchaclne%%ar^ s  dzvcUing  with  the  heajh  of 
the  ficld^  and  eating  grafs  like  oxen^  &c.  and  then  returning 
again  to  the  government  of  his  kingdom.  Here  are  two  objec- 
tions confounded  in  one.  As  to  the  miffakes  of  the  kings  names, 
there  are  only  four  kings  mentioned  in  the  book  of  Daniel,  Ne- 

NOTES. 

(3)  See  Collin's  Scheme  of  literal  Prophecy,  p.  T49 — nj?.  Bifliop 
Chandler's  Vindication,  p.  4 — 157.  oamuel  ClJandki's  Vindicition, 
p.  3 — 60. 

(4)  Prideaux's  Connexion,  P.^rt  i.  B.  i. 


44  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

• 
buchadnezzar,  Bcifhazzar,  Darius  the  Mede,  and  Cyrus.  Of 
the  iirfl:  and  the  kit  there  was  never  any  doubt ;  and  the  other 
two  may  be  rightly  named,  though  they  r.re  named  diiierently 
by  the  (jreek  hiilorianSj  who  yet  diirer  as  much  one  from  ano- 
ther as  from  Daniel.  It  is  v/eli  known,  that  the  eaftern  mon- 
archs  had  feveral  names  ;  and  one  might  be  made  ufe  of  by  one 
writer,  another  by  another.  It  is  planily  begging  the  queftion, 
to  prefume,  without  further  proof,  that  Daniel  was  not  the  old- 
cit  of  thefe  writers,  and  had  not  better  opportunities  of  know- 
iiig  the  names,  than  any  of  theni.  As  to  the  cafe  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, it  is  related  indeed  in  the  prophetic  figurative  IHle.  It 
is  the  interpretation  of  a  dream,  and  ftript  of  its  figures,  the 
pl;Mn  meaning  is,  that  Nebuchadnezzar  fhould  be  puniihed 
with  madnefs,  fhould  fancy  himJeif  a  heart,  and  live  like  a  beafl, 
iliould  be  made  to  eat  grafs  as  oxen^  be  obliged  to  live  upon  a 
vegetable  diet,  but  after  fome  time  fhould  recover  his  rerion, 
and  refume  the  government.  And  what  is  there  fabulous  or 
abfurd  in  this  ?  The  dream  Vv^as  not  of  Daniel's  inditing,  but 
was  told  by  Nebuchadnezzar  himfelf.  The  dream  is  in  a  poetic 
flrain,  and  fo  likewife  is  the  interpretation,  the  better  to  Ihow 
how  the  one  correfponded  with  the  other,  and  how  the  prophecy 
and  event  agreed  together. 

3.  He  objc6ls  that  the  book  of  Daniel  could  be  written  by 
that  Daniel  who  was  carried  captive  in  the  Babyloni/li  cap- 
tivity, becai'fe  it  abounds  with  derivations  from  the  Greek, 
which  language  was  unknown  to  the  Jews  till  long  after  the 
captivity.  The  affertion  is  falfe  that  the  book  of  Daniel  a~ 
bounds  with  derivations  from  the  Greek.  There  is  an  aninity 
only  between  fome  few  words  in  the  CTrcek-  and  the  Chrildce 
language;  and  v/hy  muf!:  they  be  derived  the  one  from  the  other? 
or  if  derivvid,  why  fhould  not  the  Greeks  derive  them  from  the 
Chaldee,  rather  than  the  Chaldees  from  the  Greek  ?  If  the 
words  in  qucflion  could  be  fhov/n  to  be  of  Greek  extra6tion, 
yet  there  was  fome  communication  between  the  eartern  king- 
doms and  the  colonies  of  the  Greeks,  fettled  in  Afia  Mirior 
before  Nebuchadnezzar's  time ;  and  fo  foon  particular  terms 
might  pafs  from  the  Greek  into  the  oriental  languages.  But 
on  the  cojurary  the  words  in  quellion  are  Ihovv^n  to  be  not  of 
Cjrcck  but  of  caffern  derivation  ;  and  confcquently  pafiecl  from 
th.'  eaft  lo  the  Greeks,  rather  than  from,  the  Cireeks  to  the 
f^\     iVlofl  of  the  words  are  names  of  muiical  inlirumcnts  j 


THEFROPrtEClES.  45 

and  the  Greeks  (5)  acknowledge  that  tlicy  received  then-  mu- 
fic  from  the  callern  nations,  from  v/hencc  they  thernielves  ori- 
ginally deicendcd. 

4.  It  doth  not  appear,  fays  the  obje6^or,  that  the  book  of 
Daniel  was  tranflated  into  Greek,  wlien  the  other  books  of 
the  Old  Teftament  were,  which  are  attributed  to  the  Seven- 
ty; the  prefent  Greek  verfion,  inferted  in  the  Septuagint,  be- 
ing taken  from  Theodotion's  tranflation  of  the  Old  I'cftamc-nt 
made  in  the  fecond  century  of  Chrift.  But  it  doth  appear, 
tliat  there  was  an  ancient  Greek  vernon  of  Daniel,  which  is 
attributed  to  the  Seventy,  as  well  as  the  verllon  of  the  other 
books  of  the  Old  Teflanient.  It  is  cited  by  Clemens  Roma- 
nus,  Juftin  Martyr,  and  many  of  the  ancient  fathers.  It  v/as 
inferted  in  Origin,  and  filled  a  column  of  his  Hexapla.  It  is 
quoted  feveraliiir.es  by  Jerome;  and  he  faith  (6)  exprefly, 
that  the  verfion  of  the  Seventy  v/as  repudiated  by  the  do6tors 
of  the  church,  and  that  of  Theodotion  fubftituted  in  the  room  of 
it,  becaufe  iccam.e  nearer  to  the  Hebrev/  verity.  7'his  verfion 
hath  alfo  been  lately  pubiiihec  fr^m  an  ancient  M.  S.  difcover- 
ed  in  the  Chighian  library  at  Rome. 

5.  It  is  objected  that  divers  matters  of  fa6l  are  fpoken  of  v/ith 
the  ciearnefs  of  hiftcry,  to  the  times  of  Antiochus  Epiplianes, 
who  is  very  particularly  dwelt  upon,  and  that  wiih  great  and 
feeming  frelh  refentment  for  his  barbarous  ufage  of  the  Jews : 
And  this  ciearnefs  determined  porphyry,  and  would  determine 
any  one  to  think,  that  the  book  was  v/ritten  about  the  time 
of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  the  author  appearing  to  be  well  ac- 
quainted with  things  down  to  the  death  of  Antiochus  but  not 
further.  But  what  an  argument  is  this  againft  the  book  of 
Daniel  ?  His  prophecies  are  clear,  and  therefore  are  no  pro- 
phecies: as  if  an  all-knowing  God  could  not  forstcl  things 
clearly ;  or  as  if  there  were  not  m.any  predictions  in   other 

NOTES. 

(5)  Et  cum  Baceo  totam  Afiam  ad  Ind'am  ufqne  confecraverinf, 
niap^iiam  ciuoque  muficas  partem  inde  transferurt.  b'trabo,  Lib.  to.  P, 
47J.  Edit.  Paris.  i6zo.  F.jiz.  Ldit.  Amfloi-  1707.  Vide  etiam  Athe- 
naei.  Lib.  14.  P.  6i5,  &c. 

(6)  Danielem  prophetam  juxta  Septuaginta  interpretes  Domini  Sal- 
vatoris  ecclefne  non  legont,  utentcs  Tiucdotionis  editione  : — quod  mul- 
turn  a  verirate  difcordet,  et  recto  judicio  repndiatus  lit.  Hieron. 
Prsf.  in  Dan.  Vol.  i.  P.  987.  Jadicio  n-.a^iitrorum  ecclefsc  editio 
coram  Ixx  repudiata  eft,  et  I  heodotionis  vu!p;o  iei^itur,  qu;T2  et  Ilebraso. 
€t  cateris  tranfl^itoribus  congruit,  Lc»  Comment,  ia  Ddii/iv.  Coi.  ig88. 
Vol.  3.  Edit.  B<;nedicl. 


46  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    ON       . 

prophets,  as  clear  as  any  in  Daniel.  If  his  prophecies  extend 
not  lower  than  the  times  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  his  commif- 
fion  might  be  limited  there,  and  he  would  not  go  beyond  his 
commiiHon.  But  it  hath  been  fliown,  and  will  be  fhown,  that 
there  are  feveral  prophecies  in  Daniel  relating  to  times  long 
after  the  death  of  Antiochus,  and  thefe  prophecies  are  as  clear 
as  thofc  before  the  death  of  Antiochus.  Neither  is  Antiochus 
fo  very  particularly  dwek  upon  as  is  com.monly  imagined  j 
neither  is  he  fpoken  of  with  greater  refentment  than  other 
prophets  exprefs  towards  the  Kings  of  AfTyria  and  Babylon. 
All  honeft  men,  who  love  liberty  and  their  country,  muft  fpeak 
with  indignation  of  tyrants  and  oppreiTors. 

6.  His  lixth  objection  is,  that  Daniel  is  omitted  among  the 
prophets  recited  in  Eccleiiafticus,  where  it  feems  proper  to 
have  mentioned  him  as  a  Jewifh  prophet-author,  had  the 
book  under  his  name  been  received  as  canonical,  when  Ec- 
clcnafticus  was  pubiifhed.  It  might  have  been  proper  to 
ha\-e  mentioned  hirn,  had  the  author  been  giving  a  complete 
catalogue  of  the  Jewifh  canonical  writers.  But  that  is  not 
the  cafe.  He  mentions  feveral  who  never  pretended  to  be 
infpired  writers,  and  omit^  others  who  really  were  fo.  No 
mention  is  made  of  Job  and  Ezra,  and  of  the  books  under 
their  names,  as  well  as  of  Daniel:  and  who  can  account  for 
tlie  filence  of  authors  in  any  particular  at  this  diftance  of 
time  ?  Daniel  is  propofed,  i  Mace.  ii.  6o.  as  a  patron  by 
the  father  of  the  Maccabees,  and  his  wildom  is  highly  recom- 
mended by  Ezekiel :  and  thefe  are  fufficient  teftimonies  of 
his  antiquity,  without  the  confirmation  of  a  later  writer. 

7.  It  is  obje6led,  that  Jonathan,  who  made  the  Chaldee 
paraphrafes  on  the  prophet,  has  omitted  Daniel :  from  whence 
it  ihould  feem,  the  book  of  Daniel  was  not  of  that  account 
with  the  Jews,  as  the  other  books  of  the  prophets  were.  But 
there  are  other  books,  which  were  always  accounted  canonical 
among  the  Jews,  and  yet  have  no  Chaldee  paraphrafes  extant, 
as  the  books  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  Jonat'ran  might  per- 
haps not  make  a  Targum  or  Chaldee  paraphrafe  on  Daniel, 
bccaufe  half  of  the  book  is  written  in  Chaldee.  Or  he  might 
have  made  a  Targum  on  Daniel,  and  that  Targum  may  have 
been  lofl,  as  other  ancient  Targums  have  been  deflroyed  by 
the  injury  of  time;  and  there  arc  good  proofs  in  the  Mifna 
and  other  writers  cited  by  Eifhop  C^iandler,  that  there  was 
an  ancient  Targum  on  Daniel.     But  though  Jonathan  made 


THE    PROPHECIES.  /^-j 

no  Targum  on  Daniel,  yet  In  his  interpretation  of  other  pro- 
phets, he  frequently  applies  the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  as  fuller 
and  clearer  in  defcribing  tlie  fame  events ;  and  confcquently 
Daniel  was  in  his  efteem  a  prophet,  and  at  leaft  of  equal  au- 
thority with  tiiofe  before  him.  The  ranking  of  Daniel  among 
the  Haglographa,  and  not  among  the  prophets,  was  done  by 
the  Jews  Inice  Chrift's  time  for  very  obvious  reafons.  He 
was  always  efteemed  a  prophet  by  the  ancient  Jewifh  Church. 
Our  Saviour  called  him  Daniel  the  prophet  :  and  Jofephus  (7) 
fpeaketh  of  him  as  one  of  the  greateil:  of  the  prophets. 

8.  That  part  of  Daniel,  fays  the  obje6lor,  which  is  written 
in  Chaldee,  is  near  the  ftile  of  the  old  Chaldee  paraph rafes  ; 
which  being  compofed  m.any  hundred  years  after  Daniel's  time, 
mull  have  a  very  difFerent  ftile  from  that  ufed  in  his  time,  as 
any  one  may  judge  from  the  nature  of  language,  which  is  in  a 
conftant  flux,  and  in  every  age  deviating  from  what  it  was  in 
the  former :  And  therefore  that  part  coidd  not  be  written  at  a 
time  very  remote  ftom  the  date  of  the  eldelt  of  thofe  Chaldee 
paraphrafes.  But  by  the  fame  argument.  Homer  cannot  be 
io  ancient  an  author,  as  he  is  generally  reputed,  becaufe  the 
Greek  language  continued  much  the  fame  many  hundred 
years  after  his  time.  Nay  the  fiile  of  Daniel's  Chaldee  difFers 
more  from  that  of  the  old  Chaldee  paraphrafes,  than  Homer  doth 
from  the  lateft  of  the  Greek  clallic  writers  :  and  when  it  was 
faid  by  Prideaux  and  Kidder,  whofe  autliority  the  objecftor  al- 
leges, that  the  old  Chaldee  paraphrafes  came  near  tathe  Chal- 
dee of  Daniel,  it  was  not  laid  ablblutcly  but  comparatively,  with 
refpedt  to  other  paraphrafes,  which  did  not  come  near  to  Dan- 
iel's purity. 

9.  It  it  objected  that  the  Jews  were  great  compofers  of 
books  under  the  names  of  their  renowned  prophets,  to  do  them- 
felves  honor,  and  particularly  under  the  name  of  Daniel :  and 
the  book  of  Daniel  feems  compofed  to  do  honor  to  the  Jews, 
in  the  perfon  of  Daniel,  in  making  a  Jew  fuperior  to  all  the 
wife  men  of  Babylon.  If  there  is  any  force  in  this  obje6lion, 
it  is  this.  There  have  been  books  counterfeited  under  the 
names  of  men  of  renown,  therefore  there  can  be  no  genuine 
books  of  the  fame  men.  Some  pieces  in  Greek  have  been  forg- 
ed under  the  name  of  Daniel,  and  therefore  he  wrote  no  book 

NOTE. 

(7)  Jofephi  Antiq.Lib.  10.  Chap,  10.  et  lu 


4?  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T I  O  N  S    ON  \ 

in  Chaldec  and  Hebrew  long  before  thofe  forgeries.  In  Viki' 
manner  fome  poems  have  been  afcribed  to  Homer  and  Virgil, 
which  were  not  of  their  compohng  ;  and  therefore  the  one 
did  not  compofe  the  Iliad,  nor  the  other  the  .^neid.  Some 
fajfc  writings  have  been  attributed  to  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul ; 
and  thei-efore  there  are  no  true  writings  of  thofe  apofcles. 
Such  arguments  fuiiiciently  expofe  and  refute  themfelves.  One 
v/ould  think  the  inference  fhould  rather  lie  on  th,3  other  fide. 
Soma  books  have  been  counterfeited  in  the  name  of  this  or 
ti'iat  writer  ;  and  therefore  that  there  were  fome  genuine  books 
of  his  writing,  is  a  much  more  probable  prefumption  than  the 
contrary. 

10.  The  tenth  objection  is,  that  the  author  of  the  book  of 
Daniel  appears  plainly  to  be  a  writer  of  things  paft,  after  a 
prophctic4l  manner,  by  his  uncommon  puncl:uality,  by  not  only 
foretelling  things  to  come,  like  other  prophets,  but  fixed  the 
time  when  the  things  were  to  happen.  But  other  prophets 
and  other  prophecies  have  perfixed  the  times  for  feveral  events  ; 
as  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  for  the  continuance  of  the 
antediluvian  world ;  four  hundred  years,  for  the  fojourning 
of  Abraham's  fe^d  in  a  ftrange  land ;  forty  years  for  the  pere- 
grination of  the  children  of  ifraeU  fixty-five  years  for  Ephraim*s 
continuing  a  people  ;  feventy  years  for  the  defolation  of  Tyre  ; 
fiventy  years  for  Judah's  captivity;  and  the  like;  and  there- 
fore the  fixing  of  the  times  cannot  be  a  particular  objeftion 
againft  the  prophecies  of  Daniel.  Daniel  may  have  done  it 
in  more  inllances  than  any  other  prophet :  but  why  might  not 
God,  if  he  was  fo  pleafcd,  foretel  the  dates  and  periods  of  any 
events,  as  well  as  the  events  themfelves  ?  Jofephus,  whom  the 
obj editor  had  quoted  upon  this  occafion,  difFeus  totally  from  him. 
He  (8)  afcribes  this  punctuality  to  divine  revelation,  not  like 
the  objector,  to  the  late  compofition  of  tiie  book.  He  infers 
from  it  that  Daniel  was  one  of  the  greateft  prophets,  not  like 
the  objesflor,  that  he  was  no  prophet  at  all. 

LaAly  it  is  objeded,  that  the  book  of  Daniel  fets  forth  facts 
very  imperfectly,  and  often  contrary  to  other  hiftorical  r-^la- 
tions,  and  the  whole  is  written  in  a  dark  and  emblematical 

N    o    T    K. 

(8)  Libri  enim  quatqout  a  fe  confcriptos  rellquit,  lepnntur  hodle- 
qne.  apud  nos  :  atque  ii  nobis  fulem  faciunt,  Danielem  cum  Deo  col- 
loquia  habnifTe.  Non  enim  futura  folDm,  q:jemadnodnm  et  alii  vr.res, 
prirdicere  folelwt,  fed  et  tcmpus,  quo  Ht:  eventur.i  ctant,  piefiniviu 
Jofcph  Aniiq.  Lib.  ic.  Chap.  ii.  Sei5l.  7.  P.  465.  Edit.  Hudfoa. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  49 

ilile,  v/lth  images  and  fymbols  unlike  the  books  of  other  pro- 
phets, and  triken  iVoni  the  Ichools  of  the  Greeks.  As  to  Da- 
niel's letting  forth  facts  very  imperfectly,  he  is  perfect  enough 
for  his  dchgn,  whicii  was  not  to  write  a  hiltor?,  but  prophe- 
cies, and  hillory  only  io  far  as  it  relates  to  his  prophecies.- • 

As  to  his  writing  contrary  to  other  hiftorical  relations,  it  is 
talfe.  P'or  moft  of  the  main  facts  related  by  him  are  confirm- 
ed even  bv  heathen  hiilorians:  but  if  he  contracted  them,  yet 
he  would  deferve  more  credit,  as  he  was  more  ancient  than  any 
of  them,  and  lived  in  the  times  v/hcreof  he  v/rote.  As  to  his 
emblems  beijig  unlike  die  books  of  other  prophets,  and  taken 
from  the  fchools  of  the  Greeks,  this  is  alio  falfe.  For  the  like 
emblems  are  often  ufed  by  other  prophets,  and  are  agreeable  to 
the  ftile  and  genius  of  all  the  eafcern  writers  of  his  tim*e.  They 
were  fo  far  from  beinQ[  taken  from  the  fchools  of  the  Greeks, 
that,  on  the  contrary,  if  they  were  ever  ufed  by  the  Greeks,  the 
Greeks  borrowed  them  from  the  oriental  writeis.  But,  after 
all,  how  doth  this  lalt  objection  confifl-  and  agree  with  the  fifth 
and  tenth?  I'hcre  divers  matters  of  fati  were  fpoken  of  with 
the  clearncfs  of  hi/iory^  and  the  author  v/as  convicted  of  forge- 
ry by  his  uncommon  punctuality*  Here  all  is  dark  and  emhle^' 
maticaly  imperfect  and  contrary  to  other  hijiorles.  Such  objec- 
tions contradict  and  deftroy  one  another.  Both  may  be  taife, 
both  c^not  be  true. 

Thcfe  objections  being  removed,  what  is  there  w^anting  of 
external  or  internal  evidence  to  prove  the  genuineneis  and  au- 
thenticity of  the  book  of  Daniel  ?  There  is  all  the  external  evi- 
dence that  can  well  be  had  or  defired  in  a  cafe  of  this  nature; 
not  only  the  teftimony  of  the  whole  Jevviih  church  and  nation, 
who  have  conftantly  received  this  book  as  canonical,  butct- 
jofephus  particularly,  who  commends  him  as  the  greats  It  of 
the  prophets;  of  the  Jewifh  Targums  aad  I'almuds,  whicli 
frequently  cite  and  appeal  to  his  authority  i  (A  St.  Paul  and  St. 
John,  who  have  copied  many  of  his  prophecies;  ot  our  Savi- 
our himfeif,  who  citeth  his  words,  and  itileth  him  Daniel  the 
-prophet',  oi  ancient  hiftorians,  v^ho  relate  many  of  tlie  fame 
tranfactions ;  of  the  mother  of  the  {it\'<:\\  fons,  and  of  the  fa- 
ther of  the  Maccabees,  who  both  recommend  the  exainpie  of 
Daniel  to  their  fonsj  of  old  Eleazer  in  E^ypt,  wiio,  praying 
lor  the  Jews,  then  fuffering  under  the  pcrlccution  oi  Ptolemy 
Philopatcr,  3  Mace.  vii.  6,  7.  mcjitlons  the  deliverance  of  Da- 
niel out  of  the  den  of  lions,  together  with  the  deliverance  or  th'J 

Vol.  IL  G 


50  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  1'  IONS    o  M 

three  men  out  of  the  fiery  furnace;  of  the  Jcwifli  high-priefl-, 
who  fliowcd  Daniel's  prophecies  to  Alexander  the  Great,  while 
he  was  at  Jerufaiem;  and  ftill  higher,  of  Ezekiel,  a  contempo- 
rary writer,  who  greatly  extols  his  piety  and  tuifdom.  Nor  is 
the  internal  lefs  powerful  and  convincing  than  the  external  evi- 
dence; for  the  language,  the  ftile,  the  manner  of  v/riting,  and 
all  other  internal  marks  and  charadlers  are  perfe6lly  agreeable 
to  that  age;  and  he  appears  plainly  and  undeniably  to  have  been 
2.  prophet,  by  the  exact  accompliihment  of  his  prophecies,  as 
well  thofe  v.-hich  have  already  been  fulfilled,  and  thofe  which  are 
now  fulfilling  in  the  worlds 

The  genuinenefs  and  authenticity  of  the  book  of  Daniel  be* 
ing,  therefore,  eflabliflied  beyond  all  reafonable  contradiction, 
wemay  now  proceed  in  our  main  defign:  and  the  vifion  of  the 
ram  and  he-goat^  and  the  prophecy  of  the  things  noted  in  the 
fcripture  of  truth,  and  the  tranfaitions  of  the  kings  of  the  north 
and  the  fouth,  will  find  fufHcient  matter  for  our  meditations  this 
year.  Another  year  will  be  fully  employed  on  our  Saviour's 
prophecies  of  the  deflru(5tion  of  Jerufaiem,  and  the  difperfion  of 
the  Jews,  together  v*^ith  St.  Paul's  prophecies  of  the  Man  of  Sin, 
and  of  the  apoitafv  of  the  latter  times.  Thelaft  and  mofl  difE- 
cult  tafk  of  all  wi'l  be  an  analyfis  or  explication  of  the  Apoca- 
lyps,  or  Revelation  of  St.  John.  It  is  a  hazardous  attempt,  iu 
our  little  bark,  to  venture  on  that  dangerous  ocean,  where  fo 
many  ftouter  vefTels  and  abler  pilots  have  been  fhip-wrecked  and 
lofl:  but  poiTiblv  we  may  be  the  better  able  to  fail  through  it, 
coming  prepared,  careened  and  fheathed,  as  I  may  fay,  for  fuch 
a  voyage,  by  the  alTiilance  of  the  former  prophets,  having  parti- 
cularly Daniel  and  St.  Paul  as  our  pole-ftar  and  compafs,  and 
beggino;  withal  of  God's  holy  Spirit  to  fteer^nd  direct  ourcourfe- 
The  conclufion  will  confiil:  of  reflections  and  inferences  from 
the  v/hole.  In  this  manner,  v/ith  the  divine  afliflance,  fhall  be 
employed  the  three  years,  which  is  the  period  allotted  to  thefe 
cxercifes ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  dclign  of  the  honorable  foun- 
der will,  in  fome  meafure,  be  anfwered  by  proving  the  truth  of 
revelation  and  the  truth  of  prophecy.  It  was,  indeed,  a  noble 
defign,  after  a  life  fpcnt  in  the  Itudy  of  philofophy,  and  equally 
devoted  to  the  fcrvice  of  religion,  to  benefit  poflerity,  not  only 
by  his  own  ufeful  and  numerous  writings,  theological  as  well 
as  phiiofophical,  butalfo  by  engaging  the  thoughts  and  pens  of 
ochers  in  defence  of  natural  and  revealed  religion;  and  fome  of 
the  bcft  treatifcs  on  thofe  fubjedts  in  the.  Englifh  language,. or. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  51- 

indced,  in  any  language,  are  owing  to  his  inftitution.     This  Is 
continuing  to  do  good  even  after  death;  and  what  was  faid  of 
Abel's  faith,  may^alfo  be  faid  of  his,  that  //;;  ity  he  being  dead^  yet 
fpcoketh. 

From  the  inftance  of  this  excellent  perfon,  and  fome  others 
who  might  be  mentioned,  it  appears  that  there  is  nothing  incon- 
fiftent  in  fcience  and  religion,  but  a  great  philofopher  may  be  a 
good  .Chriitian.  True  philofophy  is,  indeed,  the  handmaid  to 
^rue  religion:  and  the  knowledge  of  the  works  of  nature,  will 
lead  one  to  the  knowledge  of  the  God  of  nature,  the  invifihle 
things  of  him  being  dearly  jeen  by  the  things  which  are  7nade\  e- 
ven  his  eternal  poivcr  and  godhead.  They  are  only  minute  phi- 
jofophers,  who  are  fceptics  and  unbelievers.  Smatterers  in 
fcience,  they  are  but  fmatterers  in  religion.  Whereas  the  moft^ 
eminent  philcfophers,  thofe  v/ho  have  done  honor  to  the  nation, 
■done  honor  to  human  nature  itfelf,  have  alfo  been  believers  and 
defenders  of  revelation,  have  ftudied  fcripture  as  well  as  nature, 
have  fearchcd  after  God  in  his  word,  as  well  as  In  his  works, 
and  have  even  made  comments  on  fevcral  pai'ts  of  holy  writ. 
So  juft  and  true  is  the  obfervation  of  the  (9)  Lord  Bacon,  one 
of  the  illuftrious  perfons  here  inten-ded:  "  A  little  philofophy 
'' inclineth  man's  mind  to  atheifm;  but  depth  in  philofophy 
''  hringeth  mens'  minds  about  to  religion." 

NOTE. 

(^J  Lord  Bacon's  Eflays,  xvli. 


Sa  DISSERTATIONS   ON 


XIX. 


Our  S  A  V 1 0  U  r'j  Prophecies  relating  to  the  dejiruction  of' 
yeri^J'aletii. 


In    four     parts. 
P  A  R  1^    II. 


THE  preceding  difcoiirre  was  concerning  thc_/fr;r^  of  thede- 
ftrucLion  0f  Jerufalcm,  that  is  the  circiinilLinces  and  ac- 
cidents, which  were  to  be  the  forerunners  and  attendants  of  this- 
great  event,  lliofe  are  already  fpecitied  which  palled  before 
the  fiege,  and  now  we  proceed  to  treat  of  thofe  which  happen- 
ed daring  the  fiege  and  after  it.  Never  was  prophecy  more 
punctually  fulfilled,  and  it  will  be  very  well  worth  our  time 
and  attention  to  trace  the  particulars. 

"  When  ye,  therefore,  fhall  fee  the  abomination  of  defolation^ 
"  fpoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  {land  in  the  holy  place, 
"  (whofo  readeth,  let  him  underftand)  Then  let  them  which 
*' be  in  Judea,  flee  into  the  mountains."  verf.  15.  and  16. 
Whatever  difHcalty  there  is  in  thefe  words,  it  may  be  cleared 
up  by  the  parallel  place  ia  St.  Luke,  xxi.  20,  21.  "  And 
*'  when  ye  fhall  fee  Jerufalem  compailed  with  armies,  then 
*'  know  that  the  defolation  thereof  is  nigh.  Then  let  them 
"  which  are  in  Judea,  flee  to  the  mountains."  So  that  the  a-^ 
homhuitlon  of  dcjjlatian  is  tlic  P^oman  army,  and  the  ahomhiation 
of  defolation  Jianding  in  the  holy  place  is  the  Roman  army  bc- 
jieging  Jerufalem.  This,  faith  our  Saviour,  is  the  ahomifiation 
ofdefolationyfpoken  of  by  D.miclthe  prophet^  in  the  ninth  and  c- 
leventh  chapters;  and  f<r>  le:  every  one  who  readeth  thofe  pro- 
phecies, undcrfcand  them.  The  Ronun  army  is  called  the  a- 
pominatior.  for  its  enfigns  and  images  which  were  (0  to  the  Jcws-» 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  S  C  I  E  S.  53 

As  Chryfoftom  amrms  (i)  every  idol,  and  every  image  of  a 
man  was  called  an  aho?7iinatlon  among  the  Jews.  For  this  rea- 
fon,  as.  (2)  Jofcphus  informs  us,  the  principal  Jews  earncfily 
intreated  Vittllius,  governor  of  S)ria,  wlien  he  was  conJu6ting 
his  army  through  Judea  againit  Aretas  king  of  the  Arabiiix-iS, 
to  lead  it  another  wavi  and  he  greatly  obliged  them  by  comply- 
ing v/ith  their  requeit.  We  tlirther  learn  from  (3)  Jofephus, 
that  after  the  city  was  taken,  the  Ro/iians  brought  dicir  en- 
iigns  into  the  temple,  and  placed  them  over  againft  the  eaftern 
gate,  and  facrificcd  to  them  there.  ,  The  Roman  army  is  there- 
fore litly  called  the  abo?ninat'io}ij  and  the  abomination  of  defola- 
tion^  as  it  v/as  to  defolate  and  lay  wafle  Jerufalcm:  and  this 
army's  befieging  Jerufalem  is  Q^Xi^td^Jianding  ivhcre  it  ought 
noty  as  it  is  in  St.  Mark  xiii.  14;  or  "  ftanding  in  the  holy 
*'  place,"  as  it  is  in  St.  Adatthew;  the  city  and  fuch  a  com- 
pafs  of  ground  about  it  being  accounted  holy.  When,  there- 
fore, the  Roman  army  fhall  advance  to  beuege  Jerufalem,  then 
let  them  who  are  in  Judea,  confult  their  own  fafety,  and  fly 
into  the  mountains.  This  counfcl  was  wifely  remembered,  and 
put  in  pra6lice  by  the  Chriftians  afierv/ards.  Jof':;phus  informs 
us,  that  when  Ceftius  Gallus  came  with  his  army  againft  Je- 
rufalem, (4)  many  fled  from  the  city  as  if  it  v/ould  be  taken 
prefently:  and  after  his  retreat,  (5)  many  of  the  noble  Jews 
departed  out  of  the  city,  as  out  of  a  finking  fhip:  and  a  few 
years  afterwards,  when  Vefpallan  v/as  drav/ing  his  forces  to- 
wards Jerufalem,  (6)  a  p-reat  multitude  fled  from  Jericho  into 
the  mountayiQus  country  for  their  fecurity.  It  is  probable  thut 
there  were  fom.e  Chriftians  among  thefc,  but  we  learn  more 
certainly  from  (7)  ecclefiaftical  hillorians,  that  at  this  junciurc 

K    O    T    E    S. 

(i)  Omne  {iinularorum  et  hominis  effigies  apad  Judaros  appella- 
batur  abomJnatio.  Adverf.  Judajos  V.  Orat.  P.  645.  Vol.  i.  Edit.  Bt- 
nedi<fr. 

(i)  Jcfeph.  Antiq.  Lib.  18.  Cap.  6.  Scft.  .';.  Edit.  Hudfon. 

(,;)  Sij-nis  in  templum  illatas  pofitifque  contra  portam  orientalem,  et 
Iliis  ihi  facrificarunt.  Jofeph.  de  Bell.  Jud.Lib.  6.  Cap.  6  feed.  i.  P. 
J 283.  Edit.  Hudfon. 

('4)  Jamque  multi  ex  civitate  difFu'.^iebant,  ac  fi  conilnuo  efiet  ex- 
puftnanda.    Jofeph.  de  BelL  Jud.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  10.  8e6l.  6.  P.  no.;. 

(^)  Nobiliuni  Jiidaeorum  multi,  quaii  in  co  efrei  navis  iir  iriergere- 
tur,  e  civitate  veluti  natando  cgrcifi  funt.  Ibid.  Cap.  20.  vSed.  i.P.  1105. 

(6)  Jbid.Lib.  4.  Cap.  8.  Seft.  2.  P.  1193. Edit.  Hudfon 

(7)  Enfeb.  Ecclef.  Hift.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  5.  cum  notis  Valefii.  Epipha- 
nius  Adverfus  Nazariisos.  I>ib.  i.  Tom.  a.  Sedl.  7.  Vol.  i.  Edit-  Petavii. 
\iltm.  dt  Menf.  tt  I^cnd.  Stdt.  15.  Vol  2. 


54  DISSERTATIONSoK 

all  who  believed  In  Chrlfl:  left  Jerufalem,  r.nd  removed  to  Pelia 
TjrA  other  places  beyond  the  river  Jordan,  fo  that  they  all  mar- 
velloufl/  cicaped  the  general  fliip  wreck  of  their  country,  and  wt 
GO  not  r^^ad  any  where  that  (o  much  as  one  of  them  perifhed  in 
the  dcftruvSLion  of  Jeriifalem.  Of  fuch  fignal  fcrvice  was  this 
caution  of  our  Saviour  to  the  believers ! 

He  prcfxutes  the  fame  fubjecl  in  the  following  vcrfes.  ''  Let 
"  him  which  is  on  the  houfe-tcp  not  come  down  to  take  any  thing 
"  cut  cf  his  houf^"  ve:f.  17.  The  (8)  houfcs  of  the  Jews,  as: 
well  as  thofe  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans,  were  flat  on 
the  top  for  them,  to  walk  upon,  and  had  ufually  fcairs  on  the 
outfide,  by  which  they  might  afcend  and  dc-fcend  without  com- 
ing into  the  houfe.  In  the  eafVern  walled  cities  thefe  fiat-roofed 
houfes  uf.ially  formed  continued  terraces  from  one  end  of  the  ci- 
ty to  the  other,  which  terraces  tenrxinated  at  the  gates.  He, 
therefore,  who  is  walking  and  regaling  himfelf  upon  the  houfe- 
top,  let  him^  not  come  down  to  take  any  thing  out  of  his  houfe; 
hut  let  him  inflantly  purf.ie  his  courfe  along  the  tops  of  the  houf- 
cs, and  efcape  out  at  the  city-gate  as  fail  as  he  pcflibly  can,— 
"  Neither  let  him  w^hich  is  in  the  field,  return  back  to  take  his 
*'  clothes,"  verf.  18.  Our  Saviour  maketh  ufe  of  thefe  expref- 
fions  to  intimate,  that  their  flight  muft  be  as  fudden  and  hafty 
as  Lot's  v.'as  out  of  Sodom.  And  the  Chriflians  elcaping  juft 
as  they  did  was  the  more  providential,  bccaufe  afterwards  (9)  all 
e?yrefs  out  of  the  city  was  prevented. 

"  And  woe  unto  them  that  arc  with  child,  and, to  them  that 
«  give  fuck  in  thofe  days,"  verfc  19.  For  neither  v/ill  fucli 
peifons  be  in  a  condition  to  fl)^,  neither  will  they  be  well  able  to 
endure  the  diftrefs  and  hardflilps  of  a  fiege.  This  woe  was 
fafnciently  fulfilled  in  the  cruel  fiaughters  v/hich  were  mads 
both  of  the  v/or^en  and  children,  and  particularly  in  that  griev- 
cuc  famine,  v/hich  fo  miierably  afflicted  Jerufalem  d jring  the 
ficge.  For  as  Jofephus  reports,  (i)  mothers  fnatched  the  food 
from  their  infants,  out  of  their  very  mouths:  and  a^ain,  in 
another  place,  (2)  the  houfes  were  full  of  women  and  children, 

K    O    T    E    S. 

(?,)  See  Grotius  on  the  place,  and  the  Miracles  of  Jefus  vindicated 
ly  Bp.  Pearce.     I'art  iv.  P.  27,  28. 

(1^ )  Jofeph.de  BelL  Jud.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  9.  Sed.  i.  et  10.  Edit.  liudfon. 
(i)  Matres  infantibus  cibum  ex  ipfo  ore  vapiebanl.  lb.  Lib.  5.  Cap. 

JO  Seft.  3.P.  1245. 

( 2 )  Ac  teifta  cjuidem  plena  erant  mulieribus  ct  infannbus  fame  ancc- 
tis.  lb.  Cap.  la.  Se«5l.  3.  P.  1252. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  55 

who  pcrifhcd  by  famine.  But  Jofephiis  ftill  relates  a  more 
horrid  ftory;  and  I  makc_  no  quelHon,  that  our  Saviour,  with 
his  rpirit  of  prophecy,  had  this  particular  incident  in  view. — . 
There  (3)  was  one  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Eleazcr,  illuftriouiJ 
for  her  family  and  riches.  She  having  been  ilript  and  plun- 
dered of  all  her  fubftance  and  provifions  by  the  foldicrs,  out  of 
neceffity  and  fury,  killed  her  own  fucking  child,  and  having 
boiled  him,  devoured  half  of  him,  and  covering  i-p  the  reii, 
preferved  it  for  another  time.  The  foldiers  ioon  came,  alluretl 
by  the  fmell  of  viduals,  and  threatened  to  kill  her  im.meiiately, 
if  fhe  would  not  produce  what  llie  had  drelfed.  But  £he  re- 
plied, that  ilie  had  referved  a  good  part  for  them,  and  uncover- 
ed the  relics  of  her  fon.  Dread  and  aftonifhment  feized  them, 
and  they  ftood  ftupified  at  the  fight,  "  But  this,  faid  fhe,  is 
"  my  own  fon,  and  this  m.y  work.  Eat,  for  even  I  have  eat- 
"  en.  Be  not  you  more  tender  than  a  woman,  nor  more  com- 
"  pallionate  than  a  mother.  But  if  you  have  a  religious  ab- 
"  horrence  of  my  victim,  I  truly  have  eaten  half,  and  let  the  refl: 
"  remain  for  me.'*  They  went  away  trembling,  fearful  to  do 
this  one  thing;  and  hardly  left  this  food  for  the  mother.  The 
whole  city  v/as  ftruck  with  horror,  fays  the  hillorian,  at  this 
wickednefs;  and  they  were  pronounced  blefTed,  who  died  before 
they  had  heard  or  (ten  fuch  great  evils.  So  true  alfo  was  what 
our  Saviour  declared  on  another  occafion,  when  the  womerj 
were  bewailing  and  lamicnting  him,  as  he  was  led  to  execution; 
Luke  xxvii.  28,  29,  30.  "  Daughters  of  Jerufalem,  weep  not 
"  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourfelves,  and  for  your  children.  For 
"  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  in  the  which  they  ihall  lay,  Bleff- 
"  ed  are  the  barren,  and  the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and  the  paps 
"  which  never  gave  fuck.  Then  fliail  they  begin  to  (zy  to  the 
"  mountains — Fidi  on  us;  and  to  the  hills — Cover  us."  Pro- 
verbial expreilions  to  fighify  their  defire  of  any  flielter  or  re- 
fuge; and  fo  very  defirous  were  they  of  hiding  themfelves,  that 
(4)  fome  thoufands  of  them  crept  even  into  the  common  fewers, 
and  there  mdferably  periflied,  or  were  draggedout  to  flaughter. 
"  But  pray  ye  that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  winter,  neither 
"  on  the  fabbath-day,''  verfe  20.  Pray  that  tl^efe  evils  be  not 
farther  aggravated  by  the  concurrence  of  other  natural  and 
moral  evils,  fuch  as  the  iiiclemencies  of  the  feafons,  and  your 

NOTES. 

(3)  Ibid.  Lib.  ('..  Cap.  1.  Seel.  4. 
(_i)  Ibid.  Lib.  6.  Cii?.  9.  Sect.  4. 


56  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

own  fupcrflitions.  Pray  that  your  flight  he  not  in  the  winter -^ 
for  the  hai  dr.  :is  of  the  feafon,  the  badiiefs  of  the  roads,  the  lliort- 
nifs  of  the  d.-ys,  will  ;d]  be  great  impediments  to  your  flight;  nei- 
ther onthe  fah  bath -day  \  that  you  may  not  raii'e  the  indignation 
of  the  Jews,  by  traveilnig  on  that  day,  nor  be  hindered  from  do- 
ing it  jy  your  ov/n  fuperfrition.  It  leemeth  to  be  fpoken  a  gond 
deal  In  condcfcenilon  to  the  Jewlih  prejudices,  a  labbath-day's 
journey  among  the  Jews  being  but  about  a  mile.  In  the  paral- 
lel place  of  St.  Mark  xiii.  i8.  it  is  obfervable,  that  the  evange- 
lift  faith  only,  "  And  pray  ve  that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  win- 
"  ter,"  without  any  mention  of  the  fabbath-dav. 

As  our  Saviour  cautioned  his  difciples  to  flv,  when  they 
ihould  fee  Jerufalcm  encompaiTed  with  armies;  fo  It  was  very 
providentially  ordered,  that  Jerufalem  fhould  be  compafied  v/ith 
armies,  and  yet  that  they  fhould  have  fuch  fivorable  opportu- 
nities of  making  their  efcape.  In  the  twelfth  year  of  Nero, 
Ceftius  Gallus,  the  prefident  of  Syria,  came  againft  Jerufalem 
with  a  powerful  army.  He  miglit,  as  Jofephus  (5)  aflirms,  if 
he  would  have  a/Taulted  the  city,  have  prefently  taken  it,  and 
thereby  have  put  an  end  to  the  war.  But  without  any  juft  rea- 
fon,  and  contrary  to  the  expe<£lation  of  all,  he  raifed  the  fiege, 
and  departed.  Vefpafian  was  deputed  in  his  room  to  govern 
Syria,  and  to  carry  on  the  war  againft  the  Jews.  This  great 
general,  (6).  having  fubdaed  all  the  country,  prepared  to  befiege 
Jerufalem,  and  invefted  the  city  on  every  fide.  But  the  news 
of  Nero's  death,  and  foon  afterwards  of  Galba's,  and  the  dif- 
turbances  which  thereupon  enfiacd  in  the  Roman  empire,  and 
the  civil  wars  between  Otho  and  Vitellius,  held  Vefpafian  and 
Titus  in  fufpenfe;  and  they  thought  it  unfeafonable  to  engage 
in  a  foreign  war,  while  they  were  anxious  for  the  fafety  of  their 
own  counir)'.  By  thefe  means  the  expedition  againft  Jerufa- 
lem was  deferred  for  fome  time;  and  the  city  was  not  aftually 
befieged  in  form,  till  after  Vefpafian  was  confirmed  in  the  em- 
pire, and  Titus  was  fent  to  command  the  forces  in  Judca.  Thefe 
incidental  delays  were  very  opportune  for  the  Chriftians,  and 
for  thofe  v/ho  had  any  thoughts  of  retreating  and  providing  for 
their  own  fifety.  Afterwards  there  was  hardly  any  pofiibili- 
ty  of  efcaping;  for  as  our  Saviour  faid  in  St.  Luke's  gofpel, 

S    O    T    E    S. 

(5)  Jofephus  de  Bell.  Jud.  Ijb.  2.  Cap.  19.  Et  f:  eadcm  llla  hora 
Toluill'::  VI  -Tiuros  pcrrunipcrc,  e  vciligio  iirbem  cepilfet,  bellumque  ab 
ipfo  confcvftum  faille  contigiliet.  Se.*^.  a.  P.  i  roi.  Edit.  Hudion* 

(6)  Jofcph.  ibid.  Lib-  4-  vap-  <)''^^^\>  f,  'i,  ^^c. 


THE    PROPHECIES*  5; 

xix.  43.     "  The  days  fhall  come  upon  thee,  that  thine  enemies 
"  {hail  call:  a  trench  about  thee,  and  compals  thee  round,  and 
"  keep  thee  in  on  every  fide.'*     Accordingly  the  Romans  hav- 
ing begirt  Jerufalem  with  their  forces,  and  having  made  feveral 
ad'auks  without  the  defired  luccefs,  (yj  Titus  refolved  to  fur- 
round  the  city  with  a  wall;  and  by  the  diligence  and  emulation 
of  the  foldiers,  animated  by  che  prefcncc,  and  acting  under  the 
continual  inlpeiiion  of  the  general,  t  :is  work,  which  was  wor- 
thy of  months,  vvas,  with  incredible  fpeed,  completed  in  three 
days.     The  wall  was  of  the  dimenfions  of  thirty-nine  furlongs, 
and  was  flrengthened  with  thirteen  forts  at  proper  diftaiices; 
fo  that,  as  the  (8)  hiftorian  faith,  all  hope  of  fafety  was  cut  off 
from  the  Jews,  together  with  all  the  means  of  efcaping  out  of 
the  city.  No  provilions  could  be  carried  in,  and  no  perf^^n  could 
com.e  out  unknown  to  the  enemy.  But  to  return  to  St.  Matthew. 
In  the  preceding  verfes  our  Saviour  had  warned  his  difci- 
ples  to  fly,  as  foon  as  ever  they  faw  Jerufalem  befieged  by  the 
Romans;  and  now  he  affigns  the  reafcni  of  his  giving  them 
this  caution,     verfe  21.  "  For  then  fhall  be  great  tribulation, 
*'  fuch  as  v/as  not  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time, 
"  no  nor  ever  fhall  be."     St.  Mark  expreffeth  it  much  in  the 
fame  manner,  xiii.  19.     "  For  in  thole  days  fhall  be  aHlidlion, 
"  fuch  as  was  not  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation  v/hich 
"  God  created,  unto  this  time,  neither  fhall  be."     This  feem- 
eth  to  be  a  proverbial  form  of  expreffion,  as  in  Exodus  x.  14. 
"  And  the  locufts  were  very  grievous,  before  them  there  wjre 
"no  fuch  locufts  as  they,  neither  after  them  fhall  be  fuch;'* 
and  again  in  Joel  ii.  2.     ^'  A  great  people  and  a  ftrong,  there 
"  hath  not  been  ever  the  like,  neither  fhall  be  any  more  after 
"  it,  even  to  the  years  of  many  generations."     Of  the  fame 
kind  is  that  in  Daniel  xii*  i.     "  There  fhall  be  a  time  of  trou- 
"  ble,  fuch  as  never  was  lince  there  v/as  a  nation,  even  to  that 
"  fame  time:  and  that  in  the  firfl  book  of  Maccabees  ix.  27* 
"There  was  great  afHi£fion  in  Ifrael,  the  like  whereof w?.s 
"  not  fince  the  time  that  a  prophet  v/as   not  (een   amongft 
"  them."     Our  Saviour,  therefore,  might  fitly  apply  the  lome 
manner  of  fpeaking  upon  the  prefent  occafion;  but  he  doth 
not  make  ufe  of  proverbial  expreffions  without  a  proper  mean- 
Vol.  II.         '  H 

NOTES. 

(y)  Jofeph.  ibid.Lib.  5.Cap.  II.  SetH-.  T  et  ^.^ 
{^)  Ju-lsis  autum  cum  ec;redi2ndi  facilitate  ip^T.^  quoqui  omnis  f.:^ 
luiis  precifaerat.    Se(51.  3.  P".  1252.  Edit;  hiidfcn. 


58  DISSERTATION  Sow 

ing,  and  this  may  be  undcrllood  even  literally.     For,  Indee<l', 
all  hiitory  cannot  furnifh  us  with  a  parallel  to  the  calamities: 
an  J  mifoies  of  the  Jews;  rapine  and  murder,  famine  and  pefti- 
leiice  within;  fire  and  fword,  and  all  the  terrors  of  war  with- 
out.    Our  Savioui-  wept  at  the  forefight  of  thefe  calamities, 
aiid  it  is  almofl  impodibJe  for  perfoiis  of  any  humanity  to  read 
the  relation  of  thcni  in  Jofephus  without  weeping' too.     That 
hiftorian  might,  therefore,  well  fay,  as  he  doth  in  (9)  the  pre- 
face CO  his  hiftory.     "  Our  city  of  all  thofe  which  have  beea 
"  fubje6led  to  the  Romans,  was  advanced  to  the  highefl:  feli- 
"  city,  and  was  thrull  down  again  to  the  extremeft  mifery: 
*'  for  if  the  misfortunes  of  all  from  the  begraning  of  the  world 
"  were  campared  with  thofe  of  the  Jews,  they  would  appear 
"  mi:h  inferior  upon  the  comparifon:'*  and  again  in  another 
(i)  place  he  faith,  "  To  fpeak  in  brief,  no  other  city  ever  fuf- 
"  fercd  fuch  things,  as  no  other  generation  from  the  beginning 
"  of  the  w-  rid  was  ever  more  fruitful  of  wickednefs."  St»  Luks 
cxprefTeth  the  reafon  thus,  xxi.  22.     "  For  thefe  be  the  days 
''  of  vengeance,  that  all  things  which  are  written  may  be  ful- 
"  filled.''     Thefe  be  the  days  of  vengeance^  wherein  the  calami- 
ties foretold  by  Mofcs,  JocJ,  Daniel,  and  other  prophets,  as  well 
as  thofe  predi£lcd  by  our  Saviour,  fhall  all  meet  as  in  one  com- 
mon centre,  and  be  fulfilled  with  aggravation  on  this  generation* 
Thefe  he  the  days  of  vengeance  too,  in  another  fenfe,  as  if  God's 
vengeance  had  certain  periods  and  revolutions,  and  the  fam^ 
days  v/cre  fatal  to  the  Jews,  and  deftined  to  their  defi-ru6lion. 
f^or  it  is  very  memorable,  and  matter  of  jufl  admiration,  ac- 
cording to  (2)  Jofcphus,  that  the  temple  was  burnt  by  the  Ro- 
mans in  the  fame  month,  and  on  the  fame  day  of  the  month,  a.S 
:  it  was  before  by  the  Babylonians* 


NOTES. 

((>)  Nam  ex  omnihus  civitatibus,  qir.^  Romanorum  Jugum  fubierunf, 
roilije  fine  contig;t  arl  fummum  felieitaiis  pcrvemiTe,  ac  d^  inde  in  ex- 
tremam  calamnaten)  incidifie,  n;'.mque  omnium  ab  omnis  gevi  memorla 
res  adver'a:,  li  cum  lis  conferantur  quae  Judjsis  acciderunt,  longe  ab  il- 
lis  fapcrari  mihi  viH  .ritur.     Jofephi  Proem.  Se(S.  4.  P.  955. 

( I )  Illud  autem  breviter  rliei  poteft,  r.eqac  aliam  urbcm  talia  perpff- 
fam  cfle.  n-iciut-  bominum  ptnus  aliud  abom.ii  aevo  fceleratius  exflitifle. 
Lib.  5.  Cap.  10.  St><5l.  5.  P.  1x46. 

(a.)  Lib.  6.  Cap  4.  Se<5l.  5.  F.fl  autem  «t  mirari  quis  poffit  in  coac- 
curatam  circumacri  temporis  raiionem,  nam  eundem,  ut  di<5lum  eft, 
mcnfem  et  diem  f?rvavit,  (juo  prius  templum  a  Babyloniis  cxullura  a«» 
tat.  bed.  8.  P.  IZ79.  £dit.  Hudfon. 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  59 

Nothing  fo  violent  can  be  of  long  continuance.  Thefe  cala- 
inities  were  (o  ieverc,  that,  like  tire,  they  mufl,  in  time,  have 
Cv'mftimed  all,  and  have  left  nothing  for  tiiemfelvcs  to  prey 
upon.  "  And  except  thofe  d;iys  flioald  be  fhortencd,  there 
*^  ihouldno  flelli  be  faved."  verfe  22.  If  thefc  wars  and  defo- 
Litions  were  to  continue,  none  of  the  Je^vvs  would  efcape  de- 
ilrudion,  they  would  all  be  cut  off  root  and  branch.  I  think 
(3-  J<^f<^phiis  computes  the  number  of  thofe  Vv'ho  periihed  in  the 
(lege  at  eleven  hundred  thoufand,  befides  thofe  who  were  flain 
in  other  places;  and  if  the  Romniis  had  gone  on  dcftroying  in 
this  manner,  tht?  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  would  certainly,  in 
i  little  time,  have  been  extirpated.  But  for  the  ek^^s  fuke^ 
feut  for  the  fake  oi  the  Chriftian  Jews,  thcje  days  Jball  be  jhorU 
ened.  "But  for  the  elect's  fake,  whom  he  hath  chofen,  the 
«  Lord  hath  Ihortened  the  days,"  ^s  it  is  expreffed  in  St.  Mark 
xiii.  2.0.  The  eleSf  is  a  well  kno\yn  appellation  in  fcripture  and 
antiquity  for  the  Chriftians;  and  the  Chriftian  Jews,  partly 
through  the  fury  of  the  Zelots  on  one  hand,  and  tlie  hatred  of 
the  Romans  on  the  other,  and  partly  through  the  dilHculty  of 
fubfifting  in  the  meoimt^ins  wit'  out  houfes  or  provifions,  woidd, 
in  all  probability,  have  been  almoll:  di  deftro'/ed,  either  by  tlie 
-fword,  or  by  famine,  if  tlie  days  had  not  been  fhortened.  But 
provideatiaUy  the  days  were  fhortened.  Titus  bimfelf  (4)  was 
defirous  of  putting  iifpeedy  end  to  the  fiege,  having  Rome  and 
the  riches  and  the  pleafures  there  before  his  Qyts.  Some  of  his 
officers  (5)  prppofed  to  him  to  turn  the  fiege  into  a  blockade, 
and  fmce  they  could  not  take  tho,  city  by  llorm,  to  flarve  it 
Into  a  furrender:  but  he  thought  it  not  becomi.ag  to  fit  ft  ill  with 
fo  great  an  army;  and  he  feared  left-  Uie  lengih  of  the  time 
fhould  diminifti  the  glory  of  his  fticccfs;  every  thing,  indeed, 
may  be  efte<3:ed  in  timcj  but  celerity  contributes  much  to  the 
fame  and  fplendor  of  adtions.  1  .he  befiegcd  too  helped  to 
faorten  the  days  by  [^)  their  divifjons  and  mutual  ilaughtersj 

NOTES. 

(3)  Lib,  6,  Cap.  9.  Sea^.v 

f  4)  Ipfi  Tito  Roma,  et  epos,  voluptatefque  «nte  ocul''>'5;  ac  ni  ftatim 
Hierofolyma  conciderent,  inurari  vidcbaniur.  Tacit.  Hlft.  Lib.  5.  P. 
217.     Edit.  Lipfii. 

is)  JofepludeBell-  Jud.  Lib.  5.  Cap.  iz.  Se<5l-.  r.  Ipfi  autem  Tito 
fcflare  quidem  prorf js  tjinto  ci^m  exercitu  honeftiim  ncn  vidcbantur. 
Mctuendaiv.que  ne  fucctfibs  gloriaiu  ipfi  diminuat  tciiiporis  longitudo, 
^ac  enim  cuiKila  quidem  tfllci  polfe,  fed  ad  g.^  liiim  l^ceiv'  ccla'itaiejQ. 
P.  i4<i.     EHit.  Hudfon. 

(6)  Ibid.  C^T-  «>^iC, 


6o  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

by  ('7)  burning  their  proviuons,  which  would  h.ave  fufHced  for 
many  years:  and  by  (8)  fatally  deferting  their  itrongeft  holdsj 
where  they  could  never  have  been  taken  by  force,  but  by  fa- 
nzine alone.   By  thefe  means  the  days  were  Jhortsned;  and  indeed 
otherwife  Jerufaleni  could  never  have  been  taken  in  fo  fhort  a 
'tiif.e,  ib  well'fortified  as  it  was,  and  fo  well  fitted  to  fuifain  a 
lcng«r  fiege.     The  enemy  v/ithout  could  hardly  ever  have  pre- 
vailed but  for  the  factions  and  feditions  within.     Titus  himfelf 
could  not  but  afcribe  his  fuccefs  to  God,  as  he  was  viewing  the 
f-^'i"ti(ications,  after  the  city  was  taken.   His  words  to  liis  friends 
were  very  remarkable.     "  We  have  fought,  (g)  faid  he,  with 
''  God  on  our  fide;  and  it  is  God  who  hath  pulled  the  Jews 
'*  out  of  their  ftrong  holds;  for  what  could  the  hands  of  men 
«  or  machines  againft  thefe  towers?"  God-,  therefore,  in  the  o-. 
pinion  of  Titus  as  well  as  of  St.  yizxk^  Jhortened  the  days.  Af- 
ter the  deflru^tion  of  Jerufalem  too,  God  inclined  the  heart  of 
Titus  to  take  fome  pity  upon  the  remnant  of  the  Jews,  and  to 
reft  rain  the  nations  from  exercifrng  the  cruelty  that  they  would 
have  exercifcd  towards  them.     At  Antioch  particularly  (where 
the  difciples  were  firft  called  Chriilians)  (i)  the  fenate  and  peo- 
ple earneftly  importuned  him  to  expel  the  Jews  out  of  the  cityj 
but  he  prudently  anfwered,  that  their  country  whither  they 
fliould  return  being  laid  wafte,  there  was  no  place  that  could 
receive  them.     Then  they  requefted  him  to  deprive  the  Jev/s 
of  their  former  privileges,  but  thofe  he  permitted  them  to  enioy 
as  before.     Thus  ^or  the  elects  fake  thofe  days  of  perfecutioa 
were  fiortened. 

Our  blefled  Lord  hath  cautioned  his  difciples  againft  falfe 
Chrifts  and  falfe  prophets  before,  but  he  giveth  a  more  particu- 
lar caution  againft  them  about  the  time-cf  the  fiege  and  dc- 
ftrudion  of  Jerufilem,  verfe  23  and  24.  "  Then  if  any  man 
"  ftiall  fay  unto  you,  Lo  here  is  Chrift,  or  there,  believe  it  not: 
"  For  there  fhall  arife  falfe  Chrifts,  and-  falfe  prophets,  and 
"  fliall  {how  great  figns  and  wonders,  infomuch  that  (if  it  were 
"  poftible)  they  Ihouid  deceive  the  very  elc£l:."     And,  in  fa£l, 

NOTES. 

(7)  Se£l.  4.  Quod  non  paucis  annis  illis  fufficere  potuifTet  cbfefTis, 
P.  121.;. 

(8)  Lib.  G.  C^p.  8.  Se6t,  4.  In  quibus  vl  quidem  niinquam,  fo'a  vero 
fame  cxpuonarl  potcianr.     P.  1289. 

(9)  Ibicl.  Cap.  9.  Se6t.  I.  Deo,  inqnit,  favente  iKll-iviinus,  Df  05;  ejd, 
qui  JudjEO'.;  ex  iftis  muninvMiiis  detraxit;  nam  humaOcC  manui  ei  ma^ 
chinac  q'lidccnfra  rales  lurres  vuleant?  P.  129c. 

( t )  Jofeph.  ibid.  Lib-  7.  Cap.  5.  Se^.  21, 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  1  E  S.  61 

many  fuch  impoftors  did  arife  about  that  time,  as  we  learn  from 
(ajjof^phus,  and  promiled  deliverance  from  God,  being  fu- 
borned  by  the  tyrants  or  governors  to  prevent  the  jT^opie  and 
foldiers  from  defercing  to  the  Romans;  and  the  lov/er  the  Jews 
were  reduced,  the  more  difpofcd  would  they  be  to  liften  to  thefe 
deceptions,  and  the  more  ready  to  follow  the  deceivers.  He- 
gehppus  too,  in  (3)  Eufcbius,  mentions  t':c  coming  of  falfe 
Chrifls  and  falfe  prophets  about  the  fame  tim.e.  But  as  it  v/as 
to  little  purpofe  for  a  man  to  take  upon  him  the  character  of 
the  Chriil,  or  even  of  a  prophet,  without  miracles  to  vouch  his 
divine  million;  fo  it  was  the  common  artifice  and  pretence  of 
thefe  impoflors  to  {how  figns  and  wonders,  the  very  words  ufed 
by  Chriit  in  his  prophecy,  and  by  (4)  Jofephus  in  his  hiflory. 
Simon  Magus  performed  great  wonders,  according  to  the  ac- 
count that  is  given  of  him  in  the  Acts  of  the  ApolTles,  viii.  9, 
10,  II.  "  There  was  a  certain  man  called  Simon,  Vv'hich  be- 
"  fore  time,  in  the  fame  city,  ufed  forcery,  and  bewitched  the 
"  people  of  Samaria,  giving  out  that  himfelf  was  fome  great 
*'  one:  To  whom  they  all  gave  heed,  from  the  leaft  to  the  great- 
"  efl,  faving,  This  man  is  the  great  power  of  God:  And  to  hi;n 
"  they  had  regard,  becaufe  that  of  long  time  he  had  bewitched 
*'  them  witli  forcerics."  Dofitheus  likewife  was  reputed  to 
work  wonders,  accoi-ding  to  (5)  Origin:  Barchocrebas  too,  v/hc, 
(6)  Jerome  faith,  pretended  to  vomit  flames.  Sucli  alfo  were 
the  Jews,  of  whom  St.  Paul  fpeaketh,  2  Tim.  iii.  8,  13.  com- 
paring them  to  yannes  and  yajnht'es^  famous  magicians  of  E- 
gypt,  who  zvithjiood  Mofes,  as  thefe  alfo  refijUd  the  truth^  inen  of 
corrupt  minds,  reprobate  concerning  the  faith,  vjickcd  men  and 
vnpojlors.  There  is  a  flrange  propenfity  in  mankind  to  believe 
things  marvellous  and  aftonifliing:  and  no  wonder,  that  w.jiik 
and  wicked  men,  Jev/s  and  Samaritans,  were  deceived  by  fuch 
impoftors;  when,  if  it  had  been  poilible,  they  would  have  de- 
ceived the  very  elecl,  the  Chriflians  themfelves. 

NOTES. 

(2)  Multi  autem  tunc  a  tyrannis  fabornatl  erant  ad  populum  proplie- 
T3f?,  denuciantes  efTc  auxiliurn  a  Deo  cxf^ecftanoum,  ut  populus  minus 
Transfugerer,  et  eos,  qui  fuprametusn  erant  et  cuftodes,  fpes  renneret. 
Cito  autem  in  adveifis  homini  perfuadeiur.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  5.  £e(5t.  a.  ?• 
iz8i.     Edit.  Hudfon. 

(3)  Eufcb.  Ecclef  Hirt.  Lib  4.  Gap.  22. 

(4)  Jofeph.  Aniiq.  j.ib.  ao.  Cap-  7.  Se^.  ^.  P.  893.  Edit.  Hudfon. 
Vide  etlani  dc  Rell.  Jud.  Lib.  7.  Cap.  11.  Sec^  i. 

{5)  Contra  Ce-fom,  Lib.  6.  C'p.  11.  P.  638.  Vol  i.  Edir.  Benedict. 
(6;  Adverfus  Rufinum.  Lib.  3.  Col.  466.  Vol.  4.  Ldit.  BenedivlL 


6t  DISSERTATIO 


ON 


But,  «  Behold/*  faith  our  Saviour,  «  I  ha  e  told  you  before.'* 
vcrfi  25.  "Behold,  I  have  given  you  fufFicient  warninr^ — 
«  Wherefore,  if  they  fliall  {-dv  unto  you,  Behold  he  is  in  "the 
«  defert,  go  not  forth;  behold,  he  is  in  the  fecret  chambers, 
**  believe  it  not,"  verfe  26.  It  is  furprifing  that  our  Saviour 
fhould  not  only  foretel  the  appearance  of  thcfe  impoltors,  but 
alfo  the  manner  and  circumftances  of  their  conduct.  For  fome 
he  men  Jons  as  appearing  in  thd  defert^  and  fome  in  the  fecret 
chambers  \  and  the  event  hath,  in  all  points,  anfwsred  to  the 
predidion.  Several  of  the  faife  Chrifts,  and  falfe  prophets, 
conducted  their  followers  into  the  defert^  Joftphus,  in  his  (7) 
Antiquities,  faith  exprefly,  that  many  impoftors  and  cheats 
perfuaded  the  people  to  follow  them  i?ito  the  defert^  where  they 
promifed  to  fliov/  manifeft  v/onders  and  figns  done  by  the  pro- 
vidence of  Godi  and  many  being  perfuaded,  fuffered  the  pu- 
nilhment  of  their  folly;  for  Felix  brought  them  back,  and 
chalHfsd  them.  Again,  in  his  (8)  hiilory  of  the  Jewiih  war, 
fpeaking  of  the  fame  per fons,  he  faith,  that  thefe  im.poftors, 
und^r  31  pretence  of  divine  infpiraticn,  efl-e(^ed  innovations  and 
changes,  pt  rfuaded  ^r\t  m.ultitude  to  grow  mad,  and  led  them 
forth  into  the  defert^  as  if  God  would  there  fliov/  them  the  figns 
of  liberty,  Againft  thefe  Felix,  for  it  ftemed  to  be  the  foun- 
dation of  a  revolt,  fent  horfe  and  foot  foldlers,  and  flew  a  great 
number  of  them.  The  Egyptian  falfe  prophet,  mentioned  by 
(9)  Jof-phus,  and  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apoflles,  xxi.  38.  "  led 
♦'  out  into  the  wildernefs  four  thoufand  men  that  were  mur^ 
*^  derers:'*  but  Felix  marching  with  his  forces,  and  coming  tQ 

II   O  T    E    S. 

(7)_lTnpoflofe$  vero  e^  fdllaciis  pleni  homines  fuadebant  multitndiT 
ni,  ur  ipfo*;  in  folitudinem  feqiierentur.  Se  enlraipfis  ollcnfuros  dice- 
bant  manift-fta  prodigla  et  figna,  quae  Dei  euro  et  providentia  evenirent, 
JMuhique,  fidcm  habentes,  dementiae  fuas  pcenas  pertulerunt.  Eo?  quip* 
pe  retraaos  Feiix  fupplicio  afFecit.  Ant.  Lib.  20.  Cap.  7.  Sed.  6.  P. 
89  V     Edit.  Hudfon. 

(8)  Nam  homines  feduiflores  et  fallaciis  picni,  fpccie  divini  afflatu?, 
novis  rebus  et  mutationibus  ftudentes,  vulgout  infanireni  perfuadebant, 
et  proliciebant  in  folitudinem;  ac  ft  illlcDeus  ofttnfurus  tfllt  eis  figna 
libertatis.  Contra  iftos  (inde  enlm  videiur  oritura  efle  infurre(nio)  mir 
litcs,tam  pedites  quam  equites,  mifit  Felix,  mai>nun)que  eoriim  nume- 
)  um  Interfecit.     De  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  a.  Cap.  i.v  Se(i1.  4.  P.  1075. 

(9)  Antiq.  Lib  ic.  Cap.  7.Se6l.  6.  De  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  %.  Cap.  tj. 
Sert.  5.  Facto  igitur  congrclTu,  ^gyptius  quidcmipfe  cum  paucis  9- 
vafii;  plurimiquc  eorum  qui  cur^a  eo  eiani  parlim  tiucidati,  pariro-vivi 
ca;)ti  funt.    p.  1076- 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  ©If 

an  enga3:emcnt  with  him,  the  Egyptian  himfelf,  with  a  few  o- 
thers,  fled  away,  and  moll  of  thofc  who  had  been  with  him, 
were  flain  or  taken  prifoners.  There  was  likewife  another  im- 
poftor  mcnnoncd  by  (i)  Jofephus,  who  promired  falvatlon  to 
the  people,  nnd  a  cefTatlon  of  all  evils,  if  they  would  f"oUow  him 
into  the  defe'-t\  but  Fefhis' fent  horfc  and  foot  againft  hrm,  and 
de'lroyed  che  deceiver  himf-lf,  and  thofe  who  followed  him.— 
Thefe  thin2;s  happened  before  the  deftruclion  of  Jer jfilem,  and 
a  little  after  (2)  Jonathan,  a  weaver,  perfuaded  not  a  few  indi- 
g'?nt  fellows  to  adhere  to  him,  and  led  them  forth  into  the  defer ty 
promiling  there  to  thow  figns  and  apparitions;  but  his  follow- 
ers mod  were  ilain,  fome  were  made  prifoners,  and  he  himfelf 
was  afterwards  tak^n,  and  burnt  alive  by  order  of  Vefpafian. — • 
As  feveral  of  thefe  impoftors  thus  conduced  their  followers  in- 
to the  defert^  fo  did  others  into  the  per et  chambers  or  places  of 
fecurity:  as  particularly  the  pfeud- prophet  mentioned  by  (3) 
Jofi'phrs,  who  declared,  "o  the  people  \\\  the  city,  that  God  com- 
manded them  to  go  up  into  the  temple,  and  there  they  fhouk! 
receive  the  figns  of  deliverance.  A  multitude  of  men,  women, 
and  children,  went  up  accordingly;  but  inftead  of  deliverance, 
the  place  was  fet  on  fire  by  the  Romans,  and  fix  thoufaiid  pe- 
rifhed  miferably  in  the  flames,  or  by  throwing  themfelv^s  dowii 
to  efcape  them. 

Our  Saviour  therefore  might  well  caution  his  difciples  both 
againft  the  former  and  ^he  latter  fort  of  thef^  deceivers.  "  For 
"  as  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the  eail,  and  fhineth  even  unto 
"  the  weft;  fo  alfo  fhall  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  be,'* 
vcrfe  27.  His  coming  will  not  be  in  this  or  that  pariicukr 
place,  but,  like  the  lightning,  will  be  fudden  and  univerfal. — - 
The  appearance  of  the  true  Chrift  will  be  as  diflinguifhablc 
from  that  cf  the  falfe  Chrift,  as  lightning  v/hich  {hineth  all 

NOTES. 

(i)  Qn'n  er  Feftus  equeftres  pedefirefque  copias  contra  eos  mii'if, 
qui  decepti  erant  ab  homine  quoJam  prasftigiatore,  falutem  iplis  pclli- 
cente  et  malorura  cefTationem,  fi  fe  ufque  ad  defertum  feque  vellent; 
atque  ipfum  dsceptorem,  pariter  ac  eos  qui  ilium  comitati  funt,  inter- 
fccerunt  multes  ab  eo  miffi.     Ant.  Lib.  ao.  Cap.  7.  Sei5t.  10.  P.  895. 

(*)  De  Rell.  Jud.  Lib.  7.  Cap.  it.  Panp^rum  et  indigciitium  non 
paucif?,  utipfi  fe  adjungeteur,  perfuafit,  et  in  defertum  eduxit,  prorait- 
tens  fe  figna  ip(»s  et  apparitiones  oftenfiirum.     Sedt  t.  P.  \^}1' 

(3 )  His  caufa  interitus  erat  pfeudopropheta  quidam,  qui  iilo  tempo- 
re pr3;dicaverat  populo  in  civitate,  *'  jubere  Deum  eos  in  templum  al- 
cende,  figna  falutis  accepturos."  Lib.  6.  Cap.  5.  Sed.  ».  P.  isSit 


^  DISSERTATIONS   ON 

round  the  hemisphere,  Is  from  a  blaze  of  ftraw.  What  a  learn- 
ed (4.)  Prelate  obferves  from  Jofephus,  is  very  memorable, 
that,  "  the  Roman  army  entered  into  Judea  on  the  eaPt  fide  of 
''  it,  and  carried  on  their  conquefts  weflvvard,  as  if  not  only 
«  the  extenfivenefs  of  the  ruin,  but  the  very  route,  which  the 
"  army  would  take,  was  intended  in  the  comparifon  of  the 
"  lightning  coming  out  of  the  eaft,  and  Ihining  even  unto  the 
*'  weft."  For  luherefoever  the  car  cafe  is^  there  ivill  the  ea^- 
.gles  be  gathered  together^  verfe  28.  ^y  the  word  carcafe^ 
as  the  fame  excellent  (5)  Prelate  juftly  remarks,  is  meant  the 
Jewlih  nation,  which  was  morally  and  judicially  dead,  and 
v/hofe  deftrutftion  was  pronounced  in  the  decrees  of  heaven. 

•  Our  Saviour,  after  his  ufual  manner,  applied  a  proverbial  ex- 
preffion  with  a  particular  meaning.  For  as,  according  to  the 
old  proverb,  wherefoever  the  aarcafe  isy  there  zvill  the  eagles  be 
gathered  together y  {o  wherefoever  the  Jews  are,  there  will 
Chrift  be,  taking  vengeance  upon  them  by  the  Romans,  who 
are  properly  compared  to  eagles,  as  the  fierceft  birds  of  prey, 
and  whofe  enfign  was  an  eagle,  to  which,  probabl)'-,  our  Savi- 
our, in  this  paffage,  alluded.  And,  as  it  was  faid,  fo  was  it  done; 
for  the  victories  of  the  Romans  were  not  confined  to  this  or 
that  place,  but,  like  a  flood,  over-ran  the  whole  land.  Jofephus 
faith,  that  (6)  there  was  no  part  of  Judea,  which  did  not  par- 
take of  the  calamities  of  the  capital  city.  A.t  Antioch  (7)  the 
Jews  being  falfely  accufed  of  a  defign  to  burn  the  city,  many  of 
them  were  burnfin  the  theatre,  and  others  were  (lain.  The 
Romans  purfued,  and  took,  and  flew  them  every  where,  as  par- 
ticularly (8)  at  the  fiege  of  Machserus ;  at  (9)  the  wood  Jardes, 
where  the   Jews  were  furrounded,  and  none  of  them  efcaped, 

•  "but  beino;  not  fev/er  than  three  thoufind,  were  all  flain;  and 
( I)  at  Mafada,  where  being  clcfely  beReged,  and  upon  the  point 
of  being  taken,  they  iirft  murdered  their  wives  and  children, 

NOTES. 

(4)  BiHiop  Pearce's  DifT^rtatlon  on  the  deftraaion  of  Jernfalem  in- 
ferted  in  Dr.  Jortin's  Ken:arks  on  Lcclefiaflical  Hiftory.    Vol.  P.  a?. 

(  <;)    DillG,  P  22. 

(6)  Nulla  autcm  pars  Judoeoe  erat  quae  fimul  cum  urbe  eminentl/li- 
ma  rron  iiqribat.  De  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  7.  Se(^.  %,  P.  1190.  Ldit, 
Hiidfon. 

(7)  Lib.  7-  Cap.  3.  Sed.  3, 

(8)  Ibid.  Cap.  6. 
(9  Ibid.  Sea.  5. 
(i)  Ibid,  Cap. -9' 


•r  H  E    P  R  O  P  rt  E  C  I  E  S»  hf 

and  then  themfelves,  to  the  number  of  nine  hundred  and  fixty^ 
to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  enemy's  hands. 

When  (2)  Judca  was  totally  fubdued,  t'lc  danger  extended 
to  thofe  who  dwelt  at  a  dillance.  Many  (3)  were  flain  in  E- 
g7pt,  and  their  temple  there  was  fliut  up:  and  (4)  in  Cyrene  the 
followers  of  Jonathan,  a  weaver  and  author  of  new  difturbances, 
were  molt  of  them  flain;  he  himfelf  was  taken  prifoner,  and  by 
his  falfe  accufation  three  thouland  of  the  richeft  Jews  were  con^ 
damned  and  put  to  death:  and  with  this  account  Jofephus  con- 
cludes his  hiltory  of  the  Jewifh  war. 

There  was  fomething  lb  very  extraordinary  in  the  condu'fl  of 
thefe  falfe  Chrifts  and  falfe  prophets,  and  in  their  appearance  at 
that  time  particularly,  that  it  may  not  be  improper  to  beftowfome 
confiderations  upon  this  fubje6t,  efpecially  as  thefe  confidera-^ 
tions  may  tend  to  coniirm  and  ftrengthen  us  in  our  moft  holy 
religion. 

1.  It  is  obvious  to  obferve  from  hence,  that,  in  all  probabili- 
ty, there  hath  been  a  true  prophet,  a  true  Chrift,  other  wife 
there  would  hardly  have  been  fo  many  cheats  and  counterfeits* 
P'idions  are  ufually  formed  upon  realities ;  and  there  would  be 
nothing  fpurious,  but  for  the  -lake  of  fomething  true  and  genu- 
ine. There  would  be  no  bad  money,  if  there  was  none  current 
and  good.  There  would  be  no  quacks  and  empirics,  if  there 
were  no  phyficians  able  to  perform  real  cures.  In  like  manner, 
there  v/ould  be  no  pretenders  to  divine  infpiration,  were  none 
truely  and  divinely  infpired.  ^Fhere  would  not  (we  may  rea- 
fonably  prefume)  have  been  fo  many  falfe  Meifiahs,  had  not  a 
tjue  Meffiah  been  promlfed  by  God,  and  expelled  by  men.  And 
if  a  Meffiah  hath  come  from  God,  whom  can  we  fo  properlv 
pitch  upon  for  the  perfon,  as  the  man  Ghrill  Jefus  ^  If  there 
were  alfo  fome  mock  prophets  in  imitation  of  Adahom.med,  yet 
their  number  was  nothing  near  fo  confiderable,  and  his  fuccefs 
was  fufficient  to  excite  and  encourage  themj  whereas  the  fate 
and  condition  of  Jefus  would  rather  have  deterred  any  impof- 
tors  from  following  his  example* 

2.  Another  natural  obfervation  from  hende  is,  that  the  Mef- 
fiah was  particularly  expe6ted  about  the  time  of  our  Saviour, 
and  confequently  that  the  prophets  had,  beforehand,  marked  out 
that  very  time  for  his  coming.     For  we  read  not  of  any  falfe 

Vol.  II.  I 

VOTES. 

(e.)  Ibid.  Cap.  10.  Sec^.  i.    (3)  Ibid.  Cap.  to.    (4)  Ibid*  Cap.  it* 


66  DISSERTATIONS   01* 

Meflrahs  before  the  age  of  our  Saviour,  nor  of  fo  many  in  any 
age  after;  and  why  did  they  rife  at  that  time  particularly,  if  the 
Mcffiah  was  not  at  that  time  particulariy  expected?  And  why 
did  the  Jews   expe6t  their  MeiTiah   at  'that  time  more  than  at 
any  other,   if  that  was  not  the  time  before   appointed  for  his 
coming?   The  prophet  Daniel,  in  particular,  hath   foretold,  ix. 
25,,  &c.  that  MeiTiah  the  prince  fhould  come  tov/ards  the  end 
of  feventy  weeks  of  years,   or  four  hundred  and  ninety  years, 
from  the  going  forth  of  the  decree  to  reftore  and  rebuild  Jeru- 
faiem.     Before  thefe  weeks  of  years  were,  by  one   account  or 
other,  near  expiring,  hiftory  faith  nothing  of  the  falfc  Mefliahs: 
but  when  the  prophetic  weeks  drew  towards  a  conclufion,  then 
thefe  impoltors  arofe  frequent,  like  fo  many  meteors  to  dazzle 
the  eyes,  and  miflead  the  wandering  fleps  of  Jews  and  Samari- 
tans.    Nothing  can  be  a  more  evident  and  convincing  proof, 
that  the  Jews  then  underilood  the   prophecy  in  the  fame  fenfe 
as  the    Chriftians,  however   they  may  endeavor  to  evade  the 
force  of  it  now.    They  pretend  that  the  coming  of  the  MelTiah 
>vas  delayed  for  the  fms  of  the  people,  and  therefore  they  ftill 
live  in  expe6lation  of  him,  though  they  know  neither  the  time 
nor  the  place  of  his  appearing.     Strange?  that  he  who  was  to 
come  for  the  fms  of  the  people,  fhould  delay  his  coming  for  their 
fms  I  and  more  ftrange  ftill !   that  God  fliould  falfify  fo  many  of 
his  promifes  made  by  the  mouths  of  his  holy  prophets.  Numb, 
xxiii*  19.  "  God  is  not  a  man  that  he  (hould  lie,  neither  the 
'^  foil  of  man  that  he  fliould  repent:  hath  he  laid,  and  would  he 
"  not  do  it?   Or   hath   he   fpoken,  and  would  he  not  make   it 
"  good?" 

3.  It  may  be  farther  obferved  from  hence,  that  the  MefTiah 
was  expciied  to  work  miracles.  Miracles  are  the  credentials  of 
a  mxeirenger  from  G  od :  and  it  v/as  foretold  particularly  of  the 
MefTiah,  that  hefhould  work  miracles.  "I'here  was  no  pretend- 
ing therefore  to  the  chara6ler  of  the  Meifiah  without  the  necef- 
fary  qualifications.  Had  not  the  power  of  working  miracles 
been  efteemcd  an  cHential  ingredient  in  the  chara'fter  of  the 
Mefliah,  thefe  impoftors  Would  never  have  had  the  ailiirance  to 
pretend  to  it,  or  been  fo  fooliih  as  to  hazard  their  reputation, 
and  venture  their  v.'holc  fuccefs  upon  fuch  an  experiment;  but 
all  of  them  to  a  man  drew  the  people  after  them,  with  a  pre- 
tence of  working  miracles,  of  Ihowing  figns,  and  wonders,  and 
apparitions.  Now  the  very  miracles  which  the  JVIefRah  was 
to  perform,  Jefus  hath  performed,  and  none  gthcr  bciides  Jef- 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  67 

lis.  The  prophet  Ifaiah  foretold,  that  the  Mefhah  fhould  cure 
the  lame  and  the  bl'ind^  the  dcafawA  the  du?no\  and  accordln<^ly 
thefe  very  perfons  were  cured  in  great  numbers  by  Jefus.— 
The  prophet  Ifaiah  foretold  likewife,  that  thefe  miracles  fhould 
■be  wrought  in  ih€  deferty  and  accordingly  in  the  dcfert  Jefus 
wrought  them:  and,  by  the  way,  I  fuppoie,  this  propjiecy  was 
one  principal  reafon  why  moik  of  the  falfe  Chrifls  and  falfc 
prophets  led  their  followers  into  folitudes  and  defsrts,  prcmif- 
ing  there  to  fhow  figns  and  wonders.  The  prophet  Jfaiah 
foretold,  xxxv.  i,  &c.  "  The  wiJdernefs  and  the  folitary  place 
"  fhall  be  glad  for  them,  and  the  defcrt  Hiall  rejoice,  and  blol- 
*'  fom  as  the  rofe.  They  fhali  fee  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and 
''  the  excellency  of  our  God.  The  eyes  of  tlie  blind  fliall  be 
*'  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  fliall  be  unftopped.  The 
"  lame  man  fliall  leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb 
*'  (ing.  The  apoflle  and  evangelift  St.  Matthew  relates,  xv. 
^9,  ^c  that  "  JefaS  departed  from  thence,"  from  the  coails  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  "  And  came  nigh  unto  the  fea  of  Galilee, 
"  and  went  up  into  a  mountain,  and  fat  down  there.  And  o;reat 
^'  multitudes  came  unto  him,  having  with  them  thofe  that  were 
"  lame,  blind,  dumb,  maimed,  and  many  others,  and  caft  them 
*'  down  at  Jefus'  feet,  and  he  healed  them;  Infomuch  that  the 
*'  multitude  wondered,  when  they  faw  the  dumb  to  fpealc,  the 
«  maimed  to  be  whole,  the  lame  to  walk,  and  the  blind  to  fee: 
'^  and  they  glorified  the  God  of  Ifrael."  Since  then  the  mira- 
cles of  the  MefTiah  were  wrought  by  Jefus  alone,  Jefus  alone  can 
have  any  juft  claim  to  be  the  MefTiah;  and  from  his  works  we 
may  conclude,  John  vi.  14.  "  This  is  of  a  truth  that  prophet 
"  that  fhould  come  into  the  v/orld." 

4.  Very  obfervaWe  is  the  difference  between  the  conduct 
andfuccefs  of  thefe  deceivers,  and  of  Jefas  Chrift:  for  in  him 
we  have  all  the  marks  and  charaders  of  fmiplicity  and  truth,  in 
them  of  fraud  and  impofture.  They  were  men  of  debauched 
lives,  and  vicious  principIeF:  He  "did  no  Hn,"  i  Peter  ii.  22. 
"  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth  j"  even  Pilate,  his 
judge,  declared,  John  xix.  5.  that  he  could  «  find  no  fault  in 
*'  him."  They  lived  by  rapine  and  fpoil,  by  plunder  and  mur- 
der: He,  Luke  Ix.  56.  "  came  not  to  dellroy  mens'  li\es,  but 
"tofavethem:  He  fed  the  hungry,  healed  the  fick,  and  went 
from  place  to  place  doing  good.  Their  conduct  breathes  no- 
thing but  ambition  and  pride,  cruelty  and  revenge:  flis  behavi- 
our M^as  all  humility  and  mcekneft--,  cliarity  a:id  love  of  mankind. 


68-  DISSERTATIONS   ON 

They  were  a6luated  by  worldly  motives,  and  propofed  to  them- 
felves  fecular  ends  and  interefts :  Jefus  was  the  fartheft  remov- 
ed  from   any  iufpicion    of  that  kind;  and    when   the   people 
v/ould  have  taken  him,  John  vi.  15.  "  to  make  him  a  king," 
he  withdrew  himfelf  from  them,  and  "  departed   again  into  a 
"  mcuntain   himfelf  alone."     Their  pretenfions  were  accom- 
modated  to  the  carnal  expectations   of  the   Jews,  and  withal 
were  backed  by  force  and  violence,  and  yet  could  not  fucceed 
and  profper:  On  the  contrary,  the  religion  of  Jefus  was  fpirit- 
ual,  difclaimed  all  force,  and  took  the  way  (humanly  fpeaking) 
not  to  prevail,  and  yet  prevailed  againft  all  the  power  and  op- 
poiition  of  the  world.     Now  of  thefe  who  were  the  deceivers, 
think  you,  who  was  the  true  Chrift?   Had  Jefus  been  an  im- 
pollor,  he  v/ould  have  lived  and  a6led  like  an  impoftor.     Had 
his  delign  been  any  thing  like  theirs,  like  theirs  it  would  have 
been  diicovered  and  brought  to  nought.     Nothing  could  make 
his  religion  Itand,  but  its  coming  from  God.     This  is  the  rea- 
foning  of  one,  who  cannot  be  fufpe61:ed  to  favor  the  caufe  of 
Chriitianity,  the  learned  Garrialiel,  in  the  Jewifh  Sanhedrim; 
;ind  to  him  that  great  council  agreed,  Ad:s  v.  36,  Sec.  "  Before 
*'  thofe  days  role  up   Theudas,  boafting  himfelf  to  be  fome 
'^  body,  to  v/hom  a  number  of  men,  about  four  hundred,  joined 
"  themielves;  who  were  flain,  and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed  him> 
'^  were  fcattered,  and  brought  to  nought.     After  this  man  rofe 
"  up  Judas  of  Galilee,  in  the  days  of  the  taxing,  and  drew 
"  away  much  people  after  him;  he  alfo  perifhed,  and  all,  even 
^'  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  difpeifcd.     And  now   I   fay 
"  unto  you,  refrain  from  thefe  men,  and  let  them  alone;  for 
"  if  this   counfd   or   this    work   be   of  men,   it  will  come  to 
"  nought:  But  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it;  left 
"  haply  ye  be  found  even  to  fight  againft  God.     And  to  him 
"  they  agreed." 

5.  But  though  the  truth  will  at  laft  prevail  over  error  ?.nd 
impofture,  yet  it  is  a  melancholy  proof  of  the  weaknefs,  and 
fuperftition,  and  enthufiafm  of  maiikind,  that  thefe  falfe  Chrifts 
and  falfi  prophets  fhouJd  delude  fuch  numbers  as  they  did  to 
their  deftruction.  The  falfe  MefTiahs  had,  for  a  time,  many 
more  difciples  and  followers  than  the  true  MefTiah.  The 
Chriftians  were  once,  Luke  xii.  32.  "  a  little  flock."  ^'-  The 
*'  number  of  the  names  together,"  A£ls  i.  15.  "were  ^ibout  an 
^''  hundred  and  twenty."     WhcresyS  thefe  impoftors  ataacSled 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  69 

^nd  drew  away  great  multitudes,  one  of  them  (5)  fix  thoufand, 
another  (6j  even  thirty  thoul^ind.  With  a  pretence  of  divine 
infpiration,  they  taught  the  j)eopIe,  as  (7;  Jofcphus  expreflerh 
it,  to  grow  enthufiailically  mad,  as  if  they  were  pofielicd  and 
a6tuated  by  fome  fpirit  or  dremon;  ajid,  indeed,  no  plague  or 
epidemical  diilemper  is  more  catching  and  contagious  than  en- 
thufiafm.  It  pafles  from  man  to  man  like  wild-fire.  The 
imagination  is  foon  heated,  and  there  is  rarely  judgment  enough 
to  cool  it  again.  The  very  elect,  even  good  Chriftians  them- 
felves,  if  they  attend  to  enthufiafts,  will  be  in  danger  of  taking 
the  infection,  and  be  continually  liable  to  be,  Ephefians  iv.  14.. 
"  toiled  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  everv  wind  of  doc- 
*'  trine,"  if  they  have  not  fas  all  have  not)  a  fufncient  ballall:  of 
difcretion  to  keep  them  fteady.  In  reality,  enthufiafts  know 
as  little  of  the  revelation  given  us  by  Chrift,  as  of  the  rcofon 
given  us  by  God.  They  are  blind,  leaders  of  the  blind.  Where- 
fore if  they  /hall  fay  unto  you — Behold  he  ?s  in  the  dcfert,  behold 
his  power  is  experienced  in  field-preaching,  go  not  forth  \  be- 
hold he  is  in  the  fecrct  cha?nbers^  behold  his  prefcnce  is  confpi- 
cuous  in  the  tabernacles  or  conventicles,  believe  it  not.  He  is 
beft  fought  in  his  word,  and  in  his  works;  and  he  will  certainly 
be  found  by  thofe,  and  tliofe  alone,  who  love  him,  n  t  with  fa- 
naticifm  and  enthufiafm,  but  in  truth  and  fobernefs,  fj  as  to  keep 
his  comm.andmcnts,  which  is  the  on'y  infallible  proof  and  le- 
gitimate  i/Tue  of  love.  For  as  our  Saviour  hiinfelf  faith,  John 
xlv.  23.  "  If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  v/ords;  and  my 
"  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  un^o  him,  and  make 
*^  our  abode  with  him." 

6,  Once  more  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  wc  mufl  not  credit 
every  one,  who  cometh  to  us  v/ith  a  pretence  of  v/orking  rni- 
racles.  For  the  falfe  Chrifts  and  falfe  prophets  pretended  to 
fliow  great  figns  and  wonders;  and  jtt,  notwithilanding  all 
their  miraculous  pretenfions,  our  bkfied  Lord  cautir-ns  his 
difciples  not  to  believe  or  follow  them.  But  then  the  cuellion 
will  be  naturally  afked.  If  we  muft  not  believe  thofe  u'ho  work 
miracles,  who  muft  we  believe :   How  ftiail  we  know  v/iiether  a 

NOTES. 

(5)  Jofeph.de  Bell.  Jnd.  Lib.  6.  Cap.j.Secfl.  2.  Et  plurima  multi- 
tudo  proniifcua,  ad  fex  hominum  millia.     P.  laSr.     Edit,  lludfon. 

C*^)  Lib.  2.  C.ip.  i^.Scd.  5.  Ufque  ad  triginta  iiominummiilia, quos 
prsj{lip;iis  fuis  deceperat,  congregavit.    P.  1075,  6. 

(7)  Snecie  divini  afflatus, — vulgo  ut  iafanirent  perfuadebant.    Ibid. 

%tei.  4,  p.  1075. 


70  DISSERTATIONSoN 

perfon  doth  or  doth  not  act  by  commiflion  from  heaven?  Ho\v 
fhall  we  diftinguifh  whether  the  do6lrine  is  of  God  or  of  men? 
Indeed,  if  miracles  were  not  pofiible  to  be  wrought  at  all,  as 
fome  have  pretended;  or  could  be  wrought  only  by  God,  or 
thofe  who  are  commiffioned  by  him,  as  others  have  argued;  the 
reply  would  be  obvious  and  cafy:  but  that  miracles  are  pofTbie 
to  be  wrought  is  a  truth  agreeable  to  reafon,  and  that  they  may 
be  wrought  by  evil  fpirics  is  a  fuppofition  agreeable  to  fcrip- 
ture;  and  therefore  the  beft  anfwer  is,  that  reafon  muft  judge 
in  this  cafe  as  in  every  other,  and  determine  of  the  miracles  by 
the  doctrines  which  they  are  alledged  to  confirm.  If  a  doctrine 
is  evil,  no  miracles  can  be  wrought  by  a  divine  power  in  its  be- 
half; for  God  can  never  fet  his  hand  and  feal  to  a  lie.  If  a  doc- 
trine is  good,  then  we  may  be  certain,  that  the  miracles  vouched 
for  it  were  not  wrought  by  the  power  of  evil  fpirits;  for,  at  that 
rate,  according  to  our  Saviour's  argument,  Luke  xi.  i8.  "  Sa- 
*'  tan  would  be  divided  againft  himfeif,  and  his  kingdom  could 
"  not  ftand."  Good  fpirits  can  never  confirm  and  eftablifli 
what  is  evil,  neither  can  evil  fpirits  be  fuppofed  to  promote  what 
is  good.  Suppofing  that  the  miracles  pretended  infavor  of  Pa- 
ganifm  were  all  real  miracles,  yet  as  they  lead  men  to  a  corrupt 
religion  and  idolatrous  worfhip,  no  reverence,  no  regard  is  to 
be  paid  to  them,  according  to  the  command  of  Mofes,  Deut. 
xiii.  I,  &c.  "  If  there  arife  among  you  a  prophet,  or  a  dreamer 
*'  of  dreams,  and  giveth  thee  a  fign  or  a  wonder;  and  the  fign  or' 
"  the  wonder  come  to  pafs,  whereof  he  fpake  unto  thee,  faying, 
"  Let  us  go  after  other  Gods,  (which  thou  haft  not  known) 
"  and  let  us  f^rve  them:  Thou  (halt  not  hearken  unto  the  words 
"  of  that  prophet,  or  that  dreamer  of  dreams:  for  the  Lord  your 
"  God  proveth  you,  to  know  whether  you  love  the  Lord  your 
''  God  with  all  your  heart,  and  with  all  your  foul. 

In  like  manner,  we  muft  not  admit  any  thing  contrary  to  the 
doctrines  of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  whatever  miracles  are  boaft- 
ed  to  recommend  and  authorize  it.  For  the  dodrines  of  the 
Chriftian  religion  are  not  only  perfedlly  agreeable  to  reafon,  but 
moreover  God  hath  confirmed  it,  amply  confirmed  it,  by  mira- 
cles, and  hath  enjoined  us  ftricfly  to  adhere  to  it;  and  Cxod  can 
never  be  fuppofed  to  work  miracles  to  confirm  contradictions: 
and  therefore  allowing  (what  we  cannot  rcafonably  allow)  that 
the  miracles  ofApollonius  and  other  impoftors  were  true  and 
well  attefted,  yet  the  foundation  of  Chrift  ftandeth  firm,  and 
tannotat  all  bcihakcn  by  them.     Should  any  muiiy  or  number 


THE    PROPHECIES.  7t 

of  men,  with  ever  fo  grave  and  confident  a  pretence  to  In- 
fallibility, aflert — that  it  is  our  duty  implicitly  to  believe  and 
obey  the  church;  when  Chrift  commands  us.  Matt,  xxiii.  9- 
'«■  to  call  no  man  father  upon  earth,  for  one  is  our  Father  which 
"  is  in  heaven" — that  the  fervice  of  God  is  to  be  performed  in 
an  unknown  tongue;  when  St.  Paul,  in  his  firft  Epiftle  to  the- 
Corinthians,  hath  written  a  whole  chapter,  xiv.  exprefly  againft 
it — that  the  facrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  to  be  adminrfter- 
ed  only  in  one  kind;  when  Chrift  inftituted  rt.  Matt.  xxvi.  and 

his  apoftles  ordered  rt,  i  Cor.  xi.  to  be  celebrated  in  both • 

that  the  propitiatory  facrifice  of  Chrift  is  to  be  repeated  in  the 
mafs;  when  the  divine  author  of  the  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews 
teacheth  us,  x.  10.  that  "  the  body  of  Jefus  Chrift  was  offered 
"  once  for  all,"  and  verfe  14.  that  "  by  one  off'ering  he  hath  per- 
*'  fe*(5ted  for  ever  them  that  are  fui(5lified"— that  men  may  arri\  er 
at  fuch  heights  of  virtue  as  to  perform  works  of  merit  and  fu- 
pererogation;  when   our  Saviour  orders   us,  Luke   xvii.    10, 
^  after  we  have  done  all  thofe  things  which  are  commanded  us, 
"  to  fay,  we  are  unprofitable  fervants,  we  have  done  but  that 
,  "  which  was  our  duty  to  do" — that  attrition  and  confeflion,  to- 
gether with  the  abfolution  of  the  prieft,  will  put  a  dying  finner 
into  a  ftate  of  grace  and  falvation;  when  the  fcripture  again 
and  again  declares,  Heb.   xii.    14.  that  "  vv^ithout  holinefs  no 
«'  man  fhall  fee  the  Lord,"  and  i  Cor.  vi.  9.  "  the  unrighteous 
"_lhail  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God" — that  the  fouls  of  men, 
even  of  good  men,  immediately  after  death  pafs  into  purgatory; 
when  St.  John  is  commanded  from  heaven  to  write.  Rev.  x'lv^ 
13.     "  Bleffed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord,  that  they 
"  mav  reft  from  their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them'' 
— that  we  muft  worftiip  images,  and  the  relics  of  the  faints; 
when  our  Saviour  teacheth  us.  Matt.  iv.  10.  "  that  we  muft: 
*'  worftiip  the  Lord  God,  and  him  only  we  muft  ferve" — that 
we  muft  invocate  and  adore  faints  and  angels;  when  the  apof- 
tle  chargeth  us.  Col.  ii.  18.  to  "  let  no  man  beguile  us  of  our 
*'  reward  in  a  voluntary  humility  and  worftiipping  of  angels" 
— that  we  muft  pray  to  the  Virgin  Marv  and  all  faints  to  in- 
>  tercede  for  us;  when  St.  Paul  affirms,  i  I'im.  ii.  5.  that  as  there 
is  only  "  one  God,"  fo  there  is  only  "  one  Mediator  between 
*'  God  and  men,  the  man  Chrift  'Jefus"— that  it  is  lawful  to 
fill  the  world  with  rebellions  and  treafons,  with  perfecutions 
and  maftacres,  for  the  fake  of  religion  and  the  church;  v/hen 
St.  James  afiures  us,  i.  20.  that  «  the  wrath  of  man  worketh 


72  DIS  S  E  RT  ATIONS    ow 

"  not  the  righteoufnefs  of  Godj'*  and  when  Chrlft  muketh  unU 
verfal  Jove  and  charity  the  diftinguifliing  mark  and  badge  of 
his  difciples,  John  xiii.  35.  "  By  this  fhall  all  men  know  that 
"  ye  arc  my  difciples,  if  ye  have  love  one  to  another" — I  fay, 
fliould  ajiy  man  aflert  thefe  things,  fo  directly  contrary  to  reafon 
:\cA  to  the  word  of  God,  and  vouch  ever  fo  many  miracles  in 
Lo.inrmationofthem,  yet  we  liiould  make -no  fcruple  to  reject 
aiiu  rv^nounce  them  :ill.  Nay,  we  are  obliged  to  denounce  ana- 
their;;i  againu:  the  teacher  of  fuch  do6frines,  though  he  were  an 
apoflle,  though  he  were  an  angel  from  heaven:  and  for  this  wc 
feaVs  the  v/arrant  and  authority  of  St.  Paul ;  and  to  fliow  that  he 
laid  peculiar  ilrefs  upon  it,  he  repeats  it  twice  with  great  vehe- 
mence, Gal.  i,  8,  9.  "  Though  we  or  an  angel  from  heaven 
*^  preach  any  other  gofpel  unto  you  than  that  which  we  have 
^\  preached  unto  you,  let  him  be  accurfed.  As  we  faid  before, 
'.'  fo  fay  T  now  again,  If  any  one  preach  any  other  gofpel  unto 
*'  vou,  (-han  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  accurfed.**  In- 
deed, the  miracles  alledged  in  fupport  of  thefe  doctrines  are 
fuch  ridiculous  incredible  things,  that  a  man  muft  have  faith,  I 
do  not  fay  to  remove  mountains,  but  to  fwallow  mountains, 
who  can  receive  for  truth  the  legends  of  the  church  of  Rome. — ■ 
B'dz  admitting  that  any  of  the  Romifh  miracles  were  undenia- 
ble matters  of  fact,  and  were  attei]:ed  by  the  bell  and  moft  au- 
thentic records  of  time,  yet  I  know  not  what  the  Biiiiop  of  Rome 
v/ould  .gain  by  it,  but  a  better  title  to  bethought  An^ichrift.-— 
For  we  know  that  the  coming  of  Antichrift,  as  St.  Paul  de- 
clares, 2  ThefT.  ii.  9,  lO.  "  is  after  the  working  of  Satan,  with 
"  all  power  and  figns,  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all  deceiv- 
"  ablenefs  of  unrighteoufnefs:  and  he  doth  great  wonders  in  the 
"  fight  of  men,"  according  to  the  prophec)^-of  St.  John,  Rev. 
xiii.  13,  14.  "  and  dcceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  tlie  earth  by 
"  the  means  of  thofe  miracles  which  he  hath  power  to  do."— 
Nor  indeed  is  anv  thino;  more  congruous  and  reafonable,  than 
that  "  God,"  2  Thclf.  Ii.  10,  11.  "  Ihould  fend  men  ftrong  de- 
"  lufion,  that  they  Ihould  believe  a  lie,  becaufe  they  received 
"  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be  faved." 

But  to  return  from  this  digrelTion,  though  I  hope  neither  an 
improper  nor  unedifying  digrcflion,  to  our  main  fubjeil. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  fi 


gH  III!  HWBiliPHI— M  III  .1  Wum.  11  »!■■  m  W  IIHW 


XX. 

The  fame  fuhjc^  continued, 
PART    III. 


WE  ar(?now  come  to  the  laft  acl  of  this  dlfmal  trageJy, 
the  deilru6tion  of  Jerufalem,  and  the  final  diifolutiorl 
of  the  Jewifli  polity  in  church  and  ftate,  which  our  Saviour, 
for  feveral  reafons,  might  not  think  fit  to  declare  nakedlv  and 
plainly,  and  therefore  choofeth  to  clothe  his  difcourfe  in  figur- 
ative language.  "  He  might  poiTibly  do  it,  as  (i)  Dr.  Jortiii 
"  conceives,  to  perplex  the  unbelieving  perfecuting  Jews,  if 
*-^  his  difcourfes  fhould  ever  fail  into  their  hands,  that  they 
"  might  not  learn  to  avoid  the  impending  evil."  hmnediately 
after  the  tribulation  of  thofe  days^fyall  the  fun  he  darkened^  and 
the  moon  fh all  7tot  giiJe  her  light.,  and  the  Jlars  fhall  fall  from 
heaven^  and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  ft)all  be  fljaken.  Com- 
mentators generally  underftand  this  and  what  follov/s  of  the 
end  of  the  world,  and  of  Chrill's  coming  to  judgment;  but  the 
words  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  thcfe  days  (hovv  evi- 
dently that  he  is  not  fpeaking  of  any  diftant  event,  but  of 
fomething  immediately  confequent  upon  the  tribulation  before 
mentioned,  and  that  muft  be  the  deftruction, of  Jerufalem.  It 
is  true,  iiis  figures  are  very  ftrong,  but  no  flronger  than  are 
ufed  by  the  ancient  prophets  upon  fimilar  occahons.  The  pro- 
phet Ifaiah  fpeaketh  in  the  fame  manner  of  Babylon,  xiii.  9,  10. 
"  Behold  the  day  of  tlie  Lord  cometh,  cruel  both  with  wrath 
"  and  fierce  anger,  to  lay  the  land  defolate;  and  he  fliali  dc- 
*'  ftroy  the  finners  thereof  out  of  it;  For  the  ftars  of  heaven 
**  and  the  conftellations  thereof  fhall  not  give  their  light;  the 
"  fun  fhall  be  darkened  in  his  going  forth,  and  the  moon  fliall 
**  not  caufe  her  light  to  fhine."  The  prophet  Ezekiel  fpeaking 
Vol.  IL  K 

NOTE. 

(i)  Dr.  JoTtin'c  Remarks  on  Lcclefiafllcal  Iliftory,  Vol.  i.  P.  7.T. 


14  DISSERTATIONS    oiT 

in  the  fame  manner  of  Egj^pt,  xxxii.  7,  8.  "  And  when  I  {half 
*'  put  thee  out,  I  will  cover  the  iieaven,  and  make  the  f^ars 
"  thereof  dark;  I  will  cover  the  fun  with  a  cloud,  and  the  moon 
".fliall  not  give  her  light.  And  the  bright  lights  of  heaven 
"  will  I  make  dark  over  thee,  and  fet  darknefs  upon  thy  land, 
"  faith  the  Lord  God."  The  prophet  Daniel  fpeaketh  in  the 
fame  manner  of  tb^  {Laughter  of  the  Jews  by  the  little  horn, 
whether  by  the  little  horn  be  underllood  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
or  the  power  of  the  Romans,  viii.  10.  "  And  it  waxed  great 
*'  even  to  the  hoil:  of  heaven;  and  itcafh  down  fome  of  the  hofi:, 
"  and  of  the  ftars  to  tlie  ground,  and  llamped  upon  them:"  And 
tlie  prophet  Joel  of  this  very  deftrucfion  of  Jerufalem,  ii.  30, 
31.  "And  I  Will  ihow  wonders  in  the  heavens  and  in  the 
"  earth,  blood  and  fire  and  pillars  of  fmoke.  The  fun  fhall  be 
"  turned  into  darknefs,  and  the  moon  into  blood,  before  the 
"  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  come."  Thus  it  is  that 
in  the  prophetic  language  great  commotions  and  revolutions 
upon  earth,  are  often  reprefented  by  commotions  and  changes 
in  the  heavens. 

Our  Saviour  proceeded  in  the  /lune  figurative  ftite,  ver(e 
30.  "  And  then  fhall  appear  the  fign  of  the  Son  of  Man  in 
*'  heaven;  and  then  fhall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn, 
"  and  they  fhall  fee  the  Son  of  Man  coming  In  the  clouds  of 
"  heaven,  with  pov/er  and  great  glorv."  The  plain  meaning 
of  it  is>  that  the  dellruilion  of  Jerufalem  will  be  fuch  a  re- 
markable inftance  of  divine  vengeance,  fuch  a  fignal  manifefta- 
tion  of  Chrift's  power  and  glory,  that  aU  the  Jewifh  tribes  fhall 
mourn,  and  many  will  be  led  from  thence  to  acknov/ledge  Chrift 
and  the  Chriftian  religion.  In  the  ancient  prophets,  God  is 
frequently  deicribed  as  coming  in  the  clouds^  upon  any  remark- 
able interpofiUon  and  manifeflation  of  his'power;  and  the  fame 
dcfcription  is  herc  applied  to  Chrifl.  The  deftru^lion  of  Je- 
rufalem Vv'ill  be  as  ample  a  manifeflation  of  Chrift's  power  and 
glory,  as  if  he  was  himfelf  to  come  ^  ifibly  in  the  clouds  of  hea- 
ven. 

The  fame  fort  of  metaphor  is  carried  on  in  the  next  verfe, 
verfe  31.  "  And  he  fhall  fend  his  angels  with  the  great  found 
"  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  Ihall  gather  togetlier  his  elc^6t  from  the 
«  four  winds,  froin  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other."  This  is 
all  m  the  itile  and  phrafeo}(\c;y  of  the  prophets,  and,  flript  of  its 
figure.,  me-neth  only,  that  "after  the  deftruclioii  of  Jeruiiilem 
ChriU,  hy  his  angels  or  minilicis,  will  gather  to  himfelf  a  glo- 


THE    PROPHECIES.  75 

rJous  church  out  of  all  the  nations  under  heaven.  The  Jews 
fhali  be  thruji  out^  as  he  expre/leth  himrdf  in  another  place, 
Luke  xiii.  28,  29.  "  and  they  Ihall  come  from  the  eaft,  and 
*<  from  the  well,  and  from  the  north,  and  from  the  fouth;  and 
*'  fhall  fit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  No  one,  ever  fo 
little  verfed  in  hiftorv,  needeth  to  be  told  tha.t  the  Chrilliai.  re- 
ligion fpread  and  prevailed  mightly  after  this  period;  and  hard- 
ly any  one  thing  contributed  more  to  this  iuccefs  of  the  golpel, 
tiian  the  deftrudtion  of  Jerufalem,  falling  out  in  the  very  man- 
ner, and  with  the  very  circumflances  fo  particularly  foretoW  by 
our  bleii'ed  Saviour. 

'What  Dr.  Warburton  hath  (2)  written  upon  the  fame  fub- 
jccf  will  much  illuftrate  and  enforce  the  foregoing  expofition. 
''  The  prophecy  of  Jefus,  concerning  the  approaching  deftruc- 
«  tion  of  Jerufalem  by  Titus,  is  conceived  in  fuch  high  and 
<'  fwelling  terms,  that  not  only  the  m.odern  interpreters,  but  the 
^'  ancient  likewife,  have  fuppoled,  that  our  Lord  interweaves 
*'  into  it  a  direcl  prediction  of  his  fecond  coming  to  judgment. 
<'  Hence  arofe  a  current  opinion  in  thofe  times,  that  the  con- 
t'  fummation  of  all  things  v/as  at  hand;  which  ha:h  afforded  a 
*'  handle  to  an  infidei  objection  in  thefe^  infmuatincr  that  Jefus, 
*'  in  order  to  keep  his  followers  attached  to  his  fervice,  and 
"  patient  under  fufferings,  flattered  them  with  the  near  approach 
*<  of  thofe  rewards,  which  completed  all  their  views  and  expec- 
"  tations.  To  which,  the  defenders  of  religion  have  oppofed 
"  this  anfwer — That  tlie  diftin6lion  of  fhort  and  long,  in  the 
«'  duration  of  time,  is  lolt  in  eternity,  and  v/ith  the  Almighty, 
"  a  thousand  years  are  hut  as  ycflerday^  &c. 

"  But  the  principle  both  go  upon  is  falfe;  and  if  what  hath 
«  been  faid  be  duly  weighed,  it  will  appear,  that  this  prophecy 
''  doth  not  refpect  Chriil's  fecond  coming-  to  judoment,  but  his 
^^  jirji\  in  the  abolition  of  the  Jewiih  policy,  and^the  eilablilli- 
"  ment  of  the  Chriftian;  That  kingdom  of  Chrift,  which  com- 
«'  menced  on  the  total  ceafing  of  the  theocracy.  For  as  God's 
''  reign  over  the  Jews  entirely  ended  with  the  abolition  of  the 
<'  temple-fervice,  fo  the  reign  of  Chrift,  injpirit  and  in  truth^ 
*'  had  then  its  beginning. 

"  This  was  the  true  eJiahH/Jmient  of  Chriftianitv,  not  that  ef- 

"  fc(ilcd  by  the   donations   or  couverlions  of  Conltantine.' 

4'  Till  the  Jewiih  law  was  aboliihed,  over  which  the  Father 

NOTE. 

(j)  Warburton's  Julian.    Book  i.  Chap.  i.  P.  2r,Scc.  ad  Edit, 


76  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

«  preflded  as  king,  the  reign  of  the  Sq?i  could  not  take  place; 
*'  becaufe  the  fovereignty  of  Chrift  over  mankind,  was  that  very 
"  fovereignty  of  God  over  the  Jews,  iransferred^  and  more 
"  largely  extended. 

"  This,  therefore,  being  one  of  the  mofl:  important  aeras  in 
"  the  oeconomy  of  grace,  and  the  moit  awful  revolution  in  all 
"  God's  religious  difpenfations ;  we  fee  the  elegance  and  pro- 
".  priety  of  the  terms  in  queftion,  to  denote  fo  great  an  event, 
"  together  with  the  deftruction  of  Jerufalem,  by  which  it  was 
"  effected:  for  in  the  old  prophetic  language,  the  change  zmd 
"  fall  of  principalities  and  powers,  w^hether  fpiritual  or  civil,  are 
"  fignified  by  the  f baking  heaven  and  earth,  the  darkening  the 
"  fun  and  moon,  and  the  falling  of  the  ftars;  as  the  rife  and  efta- 
"  blifhment  of  new  ones  are  by  procefiions  in  the  clouds  of  hea- 
"  ven,  by  the  found  of  trumpets,  and  the  afTembiing  together 
"  of  hofts  and  congregations." 

This  language,  as  he  obferves  (3)  in  another  place,  was  bor- 
rowed from  the  ancient  hieroglyphics.     "  P^or  as  in  the  hicro- 
"  glyphic  writing,  the  fun,  moon,  and  flars  were  ufed  to  repre- 
^'  lent  ilates  and  empires,  kings,  queens,  and  nobility;  their  e- 
"  clipfe  and  extinction,  temporary  difafters,  or  entire  overthrow, 
"  ^c.  fo,  in  like  manner,  the  holy  prophets  call  kings  and  em- 
"  pires  by  the  names  of  the  heavenly,  luminaries;  their  misfor- 
'•  tunts  and  Overthrow  are  reprefented  by  ecllpfes  and  extinc- 
*'  tion;  ftars  falling  from  the  Armament  are  employed  to  denote 
"  the  deftruclion  of  the  nobility,  &c.     In  a  word,  the  prophetic 
"  ftile  feems  to  be  a  fpeaking  hieroglyphic.  7'hefe  obfervations 
*'  will  not  only  affill:  us  in  the  ftudy  of  the  Old  and  New  Tcf- 
"  tament,  but  likewife  vindicate  their  character  from  the  illite- 
"  rate  cavils  of  modern  libertines,  who  have  foolifhly  miftaken 
"  that  for  the  peculiar  workmanfuip  of  the  prophet's  heated 
"  imagination,  which  was   the  fober   eitabliflied   language   of 
"  their  times,  and  which  God  and  his  Son  condefcended  to  em- 
*'  ploy  as   the  properell  conveyance   of  the   high  myfterious 
"  ways  of  Providence  in  the  revelation  of  themfelves  to  man- 
^'  kind." 

To  St.  Matthew's  account,  St.  Luke  addeth,  xxi.  24.  "  And 
"  they  fliall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  fword,  and  fhall  be  led 
''  away  captive  into  all  nations;  and  Jerufalem  (hall  be  trcd- 
Y  den  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the  tunes  of  the  Gentiles  be 

NOTE. 

(3)  Divine  Legation.    Vol.  3.  Book  4.  Se<ft.  4. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  K  E  C  I  E  S.  77 

^  fulfilled.'*     The  number  of  tliofc  who  fell  by  the  edge  of  the 
fword^  was  indeed  very  great.     Of  thofe  who  perifhed  during 
the  whole  fiege,  there  were,  as  Jofephus  (4)  faith,  eleven  hun- 
dred thoufand.     Many  were  alfo  flain  (5)  at  other   times,  and 
in  other  places.     By  the  command  of  Florus,  who  was  the  firft 
author  of  the  war,  there  were  flain  at  Jerufalem  (6)  three  thou- 
fand and  fix  hundred:  by  the  inhabitants   of  Caefarea  (7)  above 
twenty  thoufand :  At  Scythopolis  (8)  above  thirteen  thoufand: 
At  Afcalon  (9)  two  thoufand   five   hundred,  and  at  Ptolcmais 
two  thoufand:  At  Alexandria,  under  Tiberius  Alexander,  ths 
prefident,  (i)  fifty  thoufand:   At  Jopp:i,  when  it  was   taken  by 
Ceftius  Galius,  (2)  eight  tlioufand  four  hundred:  In  a  moun- 
tain called   Afimon,  near   Sepphoris,  (3)  above  two  thoufand: 
At  Damafcus,  (4}  ten  thoufand:  In  a  battle  with  the  Romans, 
at  Afcalon,  (5)  ten  thoufand:  In  an  ambufcade  near  the  fame 
place,  (6)  eight  thoufand:  At  Japha,  (7)  fifteen  thoufand:  Of 
the  Samaritans,  upon  mount  Garizin,  (8)  eleven  thoufand  and 
fix  hundred:  At  Jotapa,  (9)'  forty  thoufand:  At  Joppa,  when 
taken  by  Vefpafian,  (i)  four  thoufand  two  hundred:  At  Tari- 
chea,  (2)  fix  thoufand  five  hundred;  and  after  the  city  was  ta- 
ken, twelve  hundred:  At  Gamala,  (3)  four  thoufand  flain,  be- 
fides   five  thoufand   who   threw  themlelves  down  a  precipice: 
Of  thofe  who  fled  viith  John  from  Gifchala,    (4)   fix  thoufand: 
Of  the  Gadarenes,  (5)  fifteen  thoufand  flain,  beiides  an  infinite 
number  drowned:  In   the   villages  of  Idumea,  (6)  above  ten 
thoufand  flain:  At  Gerafa,  (7)  a  thoufand:  At.Machaerus,  (8) 
feventeen  hundred;  In  the  wood  of  Jardes,  (9)  three  thoufand; 

NOTES. 

(4)  Totlus  autem  obfidionis  tempora  undecies  centena  hominum 
rnillia  perierunt.  De  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  9.  Sed.  3.  P.  1291.  Edit. 
Hudfon. 

(5)  Jufl:.  Lipfius  de  Conflantia-  Lib.  2.  Cap.  21.  Ufher's  Annals 
in  the  conclufion.    Bafnage's  liifl;.  of  the  Jews.  B.  i.Chap.  8.  ^zQ..  19. 

'6)  Jofeph.  ibid.  Lib.  a.  Cap.  14.  Sed.  <;. 


(7)  Ibid.  Cap.  i8.  Sed.  i. 

(9)  Ibid.  Sea.  36. 

8  i  Ibid.  Sed.  3. 

(r)  Ibid.  Cap.  8.  Sea.  3. 

9)  Ibid.  Se6t.  5. 

(2)  Ibid.  Cap.  9.  Sea.  9,  10. 

i)  Ibid.  Se6l.  8. 

(3)  Lib.  4-  Cap.  I.  Sea.  10. 

2     Ibid.  St-a.  10. 

(4)  Ibid.  Cap.  2.  Sea.  5. 

3)  Ibid.Sed.  II. 

(5)  Ibid.  Cap.  7.  Sea.  5. 

4     Ibid.  Cap.  2©   Sed.  2. 
5)  Lib.  3.  Cap.  2.  Sea.  2. 

(6)  Ibid.  Cap.  8.  Sea.  i. 

(7)  Ibid.  Cap.  9.  Sea,  i. 

6)  Ibid.  Sea.  3. 

(8)  Lib.  7.  Cap.  6.  Scd.  4. 

7)  Ibid.  Cap.  7.  Sea.  31. 

(9)  ibid.  Sea.  5. 

8)  Ibid.  Sea.  32. 

78  DISSERTATIONS   ON 

In  the  caftle  of  Mafado,  (i)  nine  hundred  and  fixty:  In  Cyrene, 
by  Catullus  the  governor,  (2)  three  thoufand.  Befides  thefe, 
many  of  every  age,  fex,  and  condition,  were  ilain  in  this  war, 
who' were  not  reckoned  ^  but  of  thefe  who  were  reckoned,  the 
number  amounts  to  above  one  million  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
fsven  thoufarhd  fix  hundred  and  fixty;  which  would  appear  al- 
moft  incredible,  if  their  own  hiflorian  had  not  fo  particularly 
enumerated  them. 

But,  befides  the  Jews  who  fell  by  the  edge  of  the  fivord^ 
ethers  were  alfo  to  Zv  led  avoay  captive  hiiQ  all  nations:  and 
confidering  the  numbers  of  the  flain,  the  number  of  the  cap- 
tives too  was  very  great.  There  were  taken,  particularly  at 
Japha,  (3)  two  thoufand  one  hundred  and  thirty:  At  Jotajca, 
(4)  one  thoufand  two  hundred:  At  Tarichea,  (5)  fix  thouiand 
chofen  young  men  were  fcnt  to  Nero,  the  refl  fold  to  the  num 
ber  of  thirty  tlioufand  and  four  hundred,  befides  thofe  v/ho 
v/ere  given  to  Agrippa:  Of  the  Gadarenes,  (6j  tvv'o  thoufand 
two  hundred:  In  Idumea,  (7)  above  a  thoufand.  Many  befides 
thefe  vi^ere  taken  at  Jerufalem,  fo  that,  as  Jofephus  himfelf  (8) 
informs  us,  the  number  of  the  captives  taken  in  the  whole  war 
amounted  to  ninety-feven  thoufand;  the  tall  and  handfome 
young  men  Titus  referved  for  his  triumph;  of  the  reft,  thofe 
above  feventeen  years  of  age  were  fent  to  the  works  in  Egypt, 
but  moft  were  diftributed  through  the  Roman  provinces,  to  be 
deftroyed  in  their  theatres,  by  the  fv/ord  or  by  the  wild  beafts; 
thofe  under  feventeen  were  fold  for  ilaves.  Of  thefe  captives 
many  underwent  hard  fate.  Eleven  thoufand  of  them  (9)  per- 
illied  for  want.  Titus  exhibited  all  forts  of  fhows  and  fpec- 
tacles  at  Caefarea,  and  (i)  many  of  the  captives  were  there  de- 
ilroved,  fome  being  expofed  to  the  wild  beafVs,  and  others  com« 

NOTES. 

(  i)  Ibid.  Cap.  9.  Sea.  i.  (0  Ibid.  Cap.  9.  Seft.  10. 

(2)  Ibid.  Cap.  If.  Sea.  2.  (6)  Lib.  4   Cap.  7.  Sed.  j. 

(3)  Lib.  3.  Cap.  7.  Sea.  31.  (7)  Ibid.  Cap.  8.  Sea.  i. 

(4)  Ibid.  Sea  36. 

(8)  Juvenes  autem  kaos,  qui  proccrltatc  et  forma  caeteris  pra^fra- 
rein,  triumpho  fervahat.  Ex  reliqua  autem  mukitudine,  anms  xvii, 
ir;)jores  vinaos  ad  nutalla  excrcenda,  in  iEgyptum  mifit ;  piurimos 
etiam  per  provincias  difliibuit  Titus,  in  theatris  feiro  ct  beftiis  confn- 
nendos.  Qnicunque  Tero  infra  xvii  annum  artatis  erant,  f^ib  corona 
venditi  font. — Et  captivcrum  quidem  omnium,  qui  totius  belli  tcmpoie 
capti  funt,  numerus  crat  ad  nonap;inta  icpteni  nnllia.  Lib.  (^.  Cap.  9, 
Sea.  aet3.  P.  1291.  Pro  fcripl^lfc  Jofcphum  ctnfen,  VillalpatiduSi 
Tom   3.  r.  123. 

(9)  ibid.  Sea.  2.  (i)  Lib.  7.  Cap.  a  Sea.  I. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  7^ 

pellcd  to  fight  in  troops  againO:  one  another.  At  Caefarea  too, 
in  honor  of  his  brother's  birth  day,  (2)  two  thoufand  five  hun- 
dred Jews  were  flain;  and  a  great  number  hkev/ife  at  Bcrytus 
in  honor  of  his  father's.  The  like  (3)  was  done  in  other  cities 
pf  Syria.  Thofe  whom  he  refcrved  for  his  trumph  (4)  were 
Siiiionand  John,  the  generals  of  the  captives,  and  fevcn  hun- 
dred others  of  remarkable  flature  and  beauty.  Thus  were  the 
Jews  miferahly  tormented,  and  diflributed  over  the  Roman  pro- 
vinces s  and  are  they  not  Hill  diflreflfed  and  difperfed  over  all  the 
nations  of  tiie  earth  ? 

As  the  Jews  were  to  be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations^  (o  Je- 
rufalcm  was  to  be  trodden  down- of  the  Gentiles^  until  the  times 
cf  the  Gentiles  he  fulfilled.  And  accordingly  Jerufalem  had  ne- 
ver fince  been  in  the  polTeffion  of  the  Jews,  but  hath  conftantly 
been  in  fubjeclion  to  fome  other  nJition,  as  hrft  to  the  Romans, 
and  afterwards  to  the  Saracens,  and  then  to  the  Franks,  and 
then  to  the  Mamalucs,  and  now  to  the  Turks. 

Titus,  as  it  v/as  related  before,  (5)  commanded  all  the  city 
as  well  as  the  temple  to  be  deflroyed:  only  three  towers  were 
left  Itanding  for  monuments  to  pofterity  of  the  ftrength  of  the 
city,  and  fo  much  of  the  wall  as  encompaffed  the  city  on  the 
weft,  for  barracks  for  the  foldiers  v/ho  were  left  there  In  gar- 
rifon.  All  the  reft  of  the  city  was  fo  totally  demolifhed,  that 
there  was  no  likelihood  of  its  ever  being  inhabited  again. — - 
The  foldiers  who  were  left  there,  were  (6)  the  tenth  legion, 
v/ith  fome  troops  of  horfe  and  companies  of  foot,  (7)  under 
the  command  of  Terentius  Rufus.  When  Titus  (8)  came 
again  to  Jerufalem  in  his  way  from  Syria  to  Egypt,  and  be!ield 
the  fad  devaftation  of  the  city,  and  called  to  mind  its  former 
fpiendor  and  beauty,  he  could  not  help  lamenting  over  it,  and 
curfuig  the  authors  of  the  rebellion,  who  had  compelled  him 
to  the  cruel  neceliity  of  deftroying  {o  fine  a  city.  Vefpafiaa 
(9)  ordered  all  the  lands  of  the  Jews  to  be  fold  for  his  own  ufe; 
and  all  the  Jews,  wherefoever  they  dwelt,  to  pay,  each  man, 
every  year,  the  fame  fum  to  the  capitol  of  Rome,  that  they  had 
before  paid  to  the  temple  at  Jerufalem.     The  defolation  was  ib 

NOTES. 

(2)  IbiJ.  Cap.  3.  Sea.  i.  (6)  Ibid.  Seil.  2. 

(.0  Ibid.  Cap.  5.  Ssd.  r.  (7)  Ibid.  Cap.  1. 

(4)  Ibid.  Sea.  %,  \A  Ibid.  Cap.  3.  Sea.  2: 

( 5 )  Jofeph.  de  Bell.  Jiid.  Lib.  (9)  Ibid.  Cap.  6.  Seft.  6. 
7.  Cap.  1.  Sea.  I.  Edi:.  liadfon. 


8o  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S  o  N 

complete,  that  Elcazer  (i)  faid  to  his  countrymen;  "  What  is 
"  become  of  our  city,  which  was  believed  to  be  inhabited  by 
"  God?  It  is  rooted  up  from  the  very  foundations,  and  the  only 
*'  monument  of  it  that  is  left,  is  the  camp  of  thofe  who  deftroy- 
"  ed  it,  ftill  pitched  upon  its  remains.  Some  unhappy  old  men 
*'  fit  over  the  aflies  of  the  temple,  and  a  few  women  refcrvcd  by 
*^  the  enemy  for  the  bafeft  of  injuries." 

The  flrft  who  (2)  rebuilt  Jerofalem,  tho''gh  not  all  exa<?lly  on 
the  fame  fpot,  was  the  Roman  emperor  ^^lius  Adrian,  and  he 
called  it  after  his  own  name  T^lia,  and  placed  in  it  a  Roman 
colony,  and  dedicated  a  temple  to  Jupiter  Capitolinus,  in  the 
room  of  the  tem.ple  of  the  true  God.  While  he  was  vifiting  the 
eaftern  parts  of  the  empire,  he  came  to  Jerufalem,  as  (3)  Epipha- 
nius  informs  us,  forty-feven  years  after  its  deftrucSlion  by  Titus, 
and  found  the  city  all  levelled  with  the  ground,  and  the  temple 
of  God  trodden  under  foot,  except  a  few  houfes:  and  he  then 
formed  the  refolution  of  rebuilding  it,  but  his  defign  was  not 
put  in  execution  till  towards  the  latter  end  of  his  reign.  The 
Jews,  naturally  of  a  feditious  fpirit,  were  inflamed  (4)  upon  this 
occafion  into  open  rebellion,  to  recover  their  native  city,  and 
country  out  of  the  hands  of  heathen  violators  and  oppreffors; 
and  they  were  headed  by  a  man  called  (5)  Barchochah^  a  vile 
robber  and  murderer,  whofe  name  fignifying  thcy^;z  ^^/^y?^;*, 
he  confidently  pretended  that  he  was  the  perfon  prophefied  of 
by  Balaam,  in  thofe  words,  Numb.  xxiv.  17.  "  There  fliall  come 
«  a  ftar  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  fceptre  fhall  rife  out  of  Ifrael." 
They  were  (6)  fuccefsful  in  their  firft  enterprifes  through  the 
neelect  of  the  Romans;  and,  it  is  probable,  as  the  rebellion  was 
raifed  for  this  purp-jfe,  that  they  made  themfelves  mafters  cf 
/Elia,  or  the   New  Jerufalem,  and  mafTacred  or  chafed  from 

N   o   T   K   s. 

(i)  Quid  de  ea  fsdlum  eft,  quam  Deum  habit  efTe  c'redidimus?  Ra- 
dicitus  ex  fundamentis  evulfa  eft,  et  id  folam  ejus  mormmennim  reiic- 
tum,  caftra  fciiicet  illorum  a  quibus  cxcifa  eft  jam  reliquiis  ejus  impo- 
fita-  Senes  vero  infelices  templl  cineribus  affident,  et  paucae  mulieres 
ad  turpilTimam  pudoris  injuriam  ab  hoftibus  refervatae.  Ibid.  Cap.  8. 
Se»5l.  7.  P.  1.3^*- 

(4^  Dionis  Ca/T.  Hlft.  Lib.  60.  P.  793.  Edit.  Leunclar.  Hanov.  i6c6. 

(3)  Epiphan.  de  MltX.  et  Fond.  Cap.  14.  P-  170.  Vol.  2.  i:dit.  Pa* 
tavii. 

(4)  Dionis  Hift.  ibid. 

(0  Eufeb  Ecclef.  Hift.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  6.    Vide  etiam  Scaligeri  Am* 
niadverf  in  Eufebii  Cbron.  P.  216. 
(6)  Dionis  Hift. ibid- 


THE    PROPHECIES.  ft 

theiicc  the  heathen  inhabitants,  and  the  Romans  befiegcd  and 
took  it  again;  for  we  read  in  Ibvcral  authors,  in  fy)  Eufcbius^ 
in  (8)  Jerome^  in  (9)  Chryfoflom,  and  in  (i)  Appian,  who  liv- 
ed at  that  tiniej  that  Jerufalem  was  again  befiegcd  by  the  Ro- 
mans under  Adrian,  and  was  entirely  burnt  and  confumed.— i 
However  that  be,  the  Jews  were  at  length  fubdaed  with  a  moll 
terrible  llaughter;  (?.)  fifty  of  their  ftrongeft  caflles,  and  nine 
hundred  and  eighty-five  of  their  bed  towns  were  fackcd  and  de- 
molifhed;  five  hundred  and  eighty  thoufand  men  fell  by  the 
fword  in  battle,  bendes  an  infinite  multitude  who  perifhed  by 
famine,  and  ficknefs,  and  fire,  (o  that  Judea  Was  almoil:  all  de- 
folated.  The  Jewifh  (3)  writers  themfilves  reckon,  that  dou- 
bly more  Jews  were  flam  in  this  war,  than  came  out  of  Egypt; 
and  that  their  fufFerlngs  under  Nebuchadnezzar  and  Titus  were 
not  fo  great  as  what  they  endured  under  the  emperor  Adrian^ 
Of  the  Jev/s  who  furvived  this  fecond  ruin  of  their  nation,  an 
(4)  incredible  number  of  every  age  and  fex,  were  fold  like  horf- 
es,  and  diiperlcd  over  the  face  of  the  earth;  The  emperor  com- 
pleted his  defign,  rebuilt  the  citVj  re-ertablifhed  the  colony,  or- 
dered the  ( 5)  Itatuc  of  a  hog,  in  marble^  to  he  fet  up  over  the 
gate  that  opened  towards  Bethlehem,  and  (6)  publiihed  an  edict 
Itriclly  forbidding  any  Jew,  upon  pain  of  death,  to  enter  the 
city,  or  fo  much  as  to  look  upon  it  at  a  diftance; 

In  this  ftate  Jerufalem  continued,  being  better  known  by  the 
name  of  i^lia,  till  the  reign  of  the  firft  Chriilian  emperor,  Con- 
flantine  the  Greats     The  name  of  Jerufalem  had  grown  into 

Vol.  IL  L 

W    b    T    E    Si 

(7)  Eufeb.  bemonH  Evang.  Libi  z.  Cap.  38.  P;  71.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  iti 
P.  286.     Edit.  Paris,  1628. 

18)  Hieron.  in  Jerom  xxxi.  Col.  679.  in  Ezek.  v.  Col.  725.  iii  Dan* 
ix.  Col.  1117.  in  Joel  i.  Col.  1340-  Vol  3,  Edit.  Renedi<51:. 

(9)  Orat.  V.  adverf.  Juda?os,  Vol.  1.  P.  645.  Edit.  B-r-nediifl-; 

(i)  Appian.  de  Bell.  Syr.  P.  119.  Edit.  Sieph.  P.  191.  Edit.  Tollii. 

(2)  Dionis  Hift.ibid.  p.  794.- 

(3)  Author  libri  Juchafin  knhh  HadrianUm  dnploplures  Judaros  In 
Jioc  bello  trucidafTe  quam  cgrefTi  fint  ex  7Egypto.  x\lius  libro  qui  in- 
fcnbirur,  quern  Drulius  Ir.udat  in  Pstciitis.  Non  lie  aluixiiT^  eo5  Nebii- 
fchadnezareni  heque  Titkjm,  ficut  Hadrianus  imperatcr.  Mede*s  Works* 

B.  3.  P.  4+3.  .       , 

(4)  Hieron.  in  Jerom  xxxi.  Col.  679.  in  2ach.  xi.  Col.  1744.  Vol.  3* 
Edit.  B:nedia.  Chrort.  Alex.  P.  59ft. 

(0  Eufeb.  et  Hieron.  Chron.  Ann.  I37. 

(6)  Eufeb.  Hift  Lib.  4.  Cap.  6.  Hieron.  in  If.  vi.  Col.  65.  Vol.  -?.  Edit* 
Benedia.  Juflin.  Mart.  Apol.  Prim.  P.  2a.  Edit.  Par.  P.  7i.Edit.ThirIbii» 


^82  DISSERTATIONS    OK 

uch  dirufe,  and  was  (o  little  remembered  or  known,  efpeclall^ 
among  the  Heathens,  that  when  (7)  one  of  the  martyrs  of  Pa- 
leftlne,  who  fuffered  in  the  perfccution  under  Maxlmin,  was 
examined  of  v/hat  country  he  v/as,  and  anfwered  of  Jerufalem, 
neither  the  governor  of  the  province,  nor  any  of  his  afTiftants, 
could  comprehend  what  city  it  was,  or  where  fituated.  But 
in  Conftantine's  time  it  began  to  refum.e  its  ancient  name;  and 
this  emperor  enlarged  and  beautified  it  with  fo  many  ftately  e- 
dificcs  and  churches,  that  (8)  Eufebius  faid,  more  like  a  court- 
ier than  a  bifhop,  that  this  perhaps  was  the  New  Jerufalem, 
which  was  foretold  by  the  prophets.  The  Jews,  who  hated 
and  abhorred  the  Chriftian  religion  as  much  or  more  than  the 
heathen,  (9)  affembled  again,  as  we  learn  from  St.  Chryfollom, 
to  recover  their  citv,  and  to  rebuild  their  timple;  but  the  em.^ 
peror,  with  his  foldiers,  reprefied  their  vain  attempt;  and  hav- 
ing caufed  their  ears  to  be  cut  off,  and  their  bodies  to  be  mark-^ 
ed  for  rebels,  he  difperfed  them  over  all  the  provinces  of  his  em^ 
pir^,  as  fo  many  fugitives  and  (laves. 

The  laws  of  Conftantine,  and  of  his  fon  and  fuccefTor  Con^ 
ftantius,  were  likewife,  in  other  refpe6i:s,  very  fevere  againft 
the  Jews:  but  Julian,  called  the  Apodate,  the  nephew  of  Con- 
ftantine,  and  fuccefior  of  Conftantius,  was  more  favorably  in- 
clined towards  them;  not  that  he  really  liked  the  Jews  but 
difliked  the  Chriftians,  and  out  of  prejudice  and  hatred  to  the 
Chriftian  religion,  refolved  to  re-eUablilh  the  Jewifh  worihip 
and  ceremonies.  Our  Saviour  had  faid  that  jerufalem  Jhould 
he  trodden  dcivn  of  the  Gentiles-,  and  he  would  defeat  the  pro-^ 
phccy,  and  reftore  the  Jews.  For  this  purpofe  he  (i)  wrote 
kindly  to  the  whole  body  or  community  of  the  Jews,  expref- 
fmg  his  concern  for  their  former  ill-treatment,  and  alluring 
them  of  his  protection  from  future  opprefiion;  and  conclud- 
ing with  a  promife,  that  (2)  if  he  was  fuccefsful  in  the  Perfian 
war,  he  would  rebuild   the  holy  city  Jerufalem,  reftore  them 

NOTES. 

(7)  FAifeh.  de  Mart.  Palt^ft,  Cap.  11. 

(8)  Arqae  hxc  forfitan  fuerit  rccens  ilia  ac  nova  Hicruralem,  prophe* 
tarum  vaticiniis  prscdicata.    Eufeb.  de  Vit.  Conft-  Lib.  3.  Cap.  3.3. 

(9)  Ci.!\f()i1om.  Oiat.  v.  adverf.  Jud.Sed.  11.  P.  645*  Orat.  vLSedl. 
2.  P.  6.5 1.  Vol.  I.  Edit.  Bcnedia. 

(i)  Juliiini  Hplft.  25.  P.  396.  Edit.  Spanhemii. 

(a)  — quo  et  ipfe  PerHco  bcllo  ex  animi  fcntentia  p;efto,  fmdnm  nr- 
bcm  Hicrufalem,  quam  raultos  jam  annos  habitatam  videre  defideraiis, 
rriMs  laborihiu  refedlam  incolam,  et  una  vobifcurain  eaoptimcvDeogra- 
tias  agam.    Ibid.  P.  398. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  83 

to  their  habitations,  live  with  them  there,  ^nd  join  with  then^ 
in  worfliipping  the  great  Go4  of  the  univerre.  His  zea!  even 
exceeded  his  promifcj  for  before  he  fat  out  from  Antioch  on 
his  Perfian  expedition,  he  propofed  to  begin  with  (3)  rebuild- 
ing the  temple  at  Jerufalem,  with  the  greateft  magniiicencc. — 
He  affigned  immxnfe  fums  for  the  building.  He  gave  it  in 
charge  to  Alypius  of  Antioch,  who  had  formerly  been  lieu- 
tenant in  Britain,  to  fuperintend  and  haften  the  work.  Alypius 
fet  about  it  vigoroufly.  The  governor  of  the  province  all. il- 
ed  him  in  it.  But  horrible  balls  of  fire  burfting  forth  near  the 
foundations,  with  frequent  ailaults,  rendered  the  place  inac- 
tcdible  to  the  workmen,  who  were  burnt  feveral  times;  and 
in  this  manner  the  fi'^ry  element  obflinately  repelling  them, 
the  enterprife  was  laid  afide.  What  a  fignal  providence  was  it, 
that  this  no  more  than  the  former  attempts  fhould  fucceed  and 
profpcrj  and  that  rather  than  the  prophecies  fhould  be  defeated, 
z  prodigy  was  wrought,  even  by  ^he  tedimony  of  a  faithful 
heathen  hiflorian  r  The  interpohtion  certainly  was  as  providen- 
tial as  the  attempt  was  impious;  and  the  account  here  given  is 
nothing  more  than  what  Julian  himfelf  and  his  own  hillorian 
have  tefliiied.  There  are,  indeed,  many  witnefTes  to  the  truth 
of  the  fadl:,  whom  an  (4)  able  critic  hath  well  drawn  together, 
fjid  ranged  in  this  order.  "  Am.mianus  Marcellinu?,  an  Hear 
'^  then,  Zemuch  David,  a  Jew,  who  confeffed  that  Julian  was 
^'  div'initus  i?npeditus,  hindered  by  God  in  this  attempt..  Na- 
*'  zianzen  and  Chryfofton-i  among  the  Greeks,  St.  Ambrofe 
"  and  RuiHnus  among  the  Latins,  who  fiouriihed  at  the  very 
''  time  when  this  wss  done:  Theodoret  and  Sozomen  orcho- 
"  dox  hiilorians,  Philoftorgius,  an  Arian,  SoQrates  a  favorer  of 
*'  the  NovP^tians,  who  writ  the  ftory  within  the  fpace  of  fifty 
''  years  after  the  thing  was  done,  and  whilil  the  eye-witnefies 
**  of  the  fact  were  y^t  furviving."     But  the  public  hath  lately 

NOTES. 

(;, )  Ambitiof-im  quondam  apad  Hierofolymam  templum,  qucd  pcil 
riulta  et  intcrneciva  ctnarnina  obfidente  Vcfp.Wr^no  pofleacue  Tito  r^- 
p,re  eft  expugnarum,  Inftaurare  fumptibus  co.^ltabat  immodtcis:  nego- 
tiumqiie  maiuranduiii  Aiypio  dederat  y>r!tiociien{i,  qui  cli.n  Britannias 
euraverat  pro  prscfedis.  Cum  itaquc  rei  idem  foriiier  initaret  Alypius, 
j'jvciretque  provincics  re»5lor,  metuendi  jplobi  flammariini  prope  I'unda- 
rnenta  crebris  afTiiliibus  erumoenies,  fecere  locnn)  exuilis  ali(j'uities 
operantibus  inacccffuni:  hocjiie  modo  elt'm:r:to  deitinatius  rcptlltnte, 
ceiFavit  inceptum.  Aram.  Marcell.  Lib.  23.  Cap.  i.  i*.  ^jc.  iidit.  Va.- 
kCn.  i68t. 

(4)  Whitby's  general  Preface.  P.  xxvili. 


84  DISSERTATIONS    OK 

been  obliged  with  the  beft  and  fulled  account  of  the  whole  tranfr 
a6lion  in  Dr.  Warburton's  Julian,  where  the  evidence  for  the    ^ 
miracle  is  fetin  the  flrongell:  light, and  all  objections  are  clearly  re-? 
futed,  to  the  triumph  of  faith  and  the  ccnfufion  of  infidelity. 

Julian  was  the  la  i:  of  the  Heathen  emperors.     His  fuccefTor 
Jovian  made  it  the  bufmefs  of  his  ihort  reign  to  undo,  as  mucb 
as  was  podible,  all  that  Julian  had  done;  and  the  fucceeding 
emperors  were  generally  for  repre-ling  Judaifm,  in  the  fame 
proportion  as  they  were  zealous  for  promoting  Chriftianity.-— 
Adrian's  edi6l  was  (5)  revived,  which  prohibited  all  Jews  from 
entering  into  Jerufalem.,  or  coming  near  the  city,  and  guards 
were  polled  to  enforce  the  execution  of  it.     This  was  a  very 
1  -icrative  ilation  to  tlie  foldiersi  for  the  Jev/s  (6)  ufed  to  give  mo- 
ney for  permiflion  to  come  and  fee  the  ruins  of  their  city  and 
temple,  and  to  weep  over  them,  efpecially  on  the  day  whereon 
Jerufalem  had  been  taken  and  deitroyed  by  the  Romans.     It 
doth  not  appear  that  the  Jews  had  ever  the  liberty  of  approach- 
ing the  city,  unlefs  by  ftealth  or  by  purchafe,  as  long  as  it  con- 
tinned  in  lubjeilion  to  the  Greek  emperors.     It  continued  in 
fubjeftion  to  the  Greek  emperors,  till  this,  as  v/ell  as  the  neigh- 
boring cities  and  countries,  fell  under  the  dominion  of  the  ba- 
racens.     Only  in  the  former  part  of  the  {&ven  century  after 
Chrift,  and  in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Hera-r 
clius,  it  was  (7)  taken  and  plundered  by  Chofroes  king  of  Per- 
fia,  and  the  greateft  cruelties  were  exercifed  on  the  inhabitants. 
Ninety  thoufand  Chriflians  are  faid  to  have  been  fold  and  facrir 
flced  to  the  malice  and  reven.qe  of  the  Jews.     But  Heraclius 
ioon  repelled  and  routed  the  Pcrfians,  refcued  Jerufalem  out  of 
their  hands,  and  banifhed  all  the  Jews,  forbidding  them,  Uiider 
the  fevereft  penalties,  to  come  within  three  miles  of  the  city. 

Jerufalem  was  hardly  recovered  from  the  depredations  of 
the  Perfians,  before  it  was  expofed  to  a  worfe  evil  by  the  con- 
quering arms  of  the  Saracens.  It  was  in  the  beginning  of  the 
fame  feventh  centur}-^  that  Mahornmcd  began  to  preach  and 
propagate  his  n2w  religion:  and  this  littL'  ch:':dy  which  was,  at 

K    O    T    E    S. 

(,-)  Auguflini  Serm.  4  Sc6t.  ;.  Tom.  5.  P.  ^■;.  Kdir.  Benedid.  Ant- 
werp. Sulpicii  Severi  HilM,:h.  t.  P.  99.  SLcUt.  i-lzf-ver.  1656. 

(6)  Hieron,  in  Sophon.  I.  Col,  i6<5.  Vol.  3.  lidit.  Benedi^. 

(7)  Theoph.  ad  Ileraci.  \\  452,  kc.  Kdii.Vaiis,  P.  20c,  &c.  Edit. 
V'inet.  Cedreri.  Ail  Heracl.  P.  .^08.  lUiit.  Paris,  P.  322,  Sec.  Edit  VeneL 
Bafnage's  hiil.  of  the  Jews.    Book  6.  Chap.  j8.  St*5L  7. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S,  8s 

firft  no  bi2;');eT  than  a  mar' ^  band^  foon  ovcrfpread  :nd  darkened 
the  whole  hemifphere.     Mnhomnied  hiir.fclf  conquered  fomc 
parts  of  A  labia.     His  fucceflbr  Abubekcr  broke  into  Palclline 
arid  Syria.     Omar  the  next  caliph  was  one  of  the  moft  rapid 
conquerors   who   cv^cr   fpread   defolation   upon  tlie  face  of  the 
earth.     His  rei<.!;n  was  of  no  longer  duration  thaji  ten  years  and 
a  half;  and  in  that  time  he  fubdued  all  Arabia,  Syria,  Mefopo- 
tamia,  Perfia,  and  Ei^ypt.     His  (8)  army  invcfled  jerufalem. 
r— He  came  thither  in  perfon-,  and  the  Chriilians,  after  a  long^ 
fiege,  bejn^  reduced  to  the  greateft  extremities,  in  the  year  of 
Chrift  fix  hundred  and  thirty-feven,  furrendered  the  city  upon 
capitulation.    He  granted  them  honorable  conditions :  he  would 
not  allow  any  of  their   churches  to  be  taken  from  them;  but 
only  demanded  of  the  Patriarch,  with    great  modefty,  a  place 
where  he  might  build  a  mofque.     The  Patriarch  fliowed  him 
Jacob's  {lone,  and  the  place  where  the  temple  of  Solomon  had 
been  built,  which  the  ChriiHans  had  filled  with  ordure  in  hat^ 
red  to  the  Jews.     Omar  began  himlelf  to  cleanfe  the  place,  and 
he  was  followed,  in  this  a6t  of  piety,  by  tlic  principal  officers  of 
his  arm.vj  and  it  was  in  this  place  that  the  hril:  mofque  was  e- 
fecled  at  J-rufalem.     Sophronius  tiie  patriarch  (9)  (liid  upon 
Omar's  taking  polIefTion  of  the  city,  "  This  is,  of  a  truth,  the 
"  abomination  of  defolation,  Ipoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet^ 
f^  {landing  in  the  holy  place."     Omar,  the  conqueror  of  Jeru- 
falem, is, "by  fome  authors,   faid  alfo  to  have  died  there,  bein^; 
ftabbed  by  a  flave,  ar  morning  prayers,  in  the  mofque  which  hir 
had  ercded.     Abdolmciik,  the  fon  of  Merwan,  the  tweifth  ca- 
liph, ( I )  enlarged  the  mofque  at  Jerufalem,  and  ordered  the  p>!0" 
pie  to  go  thither  on  pilgrimage  inftcad  of  Mecca,  which  was 
then  in  the  hands  of  the  rebel  Abdollah:  and  afterwards  (2)  when 
the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca  was,  by  any  accident,  interrupted,  the 
Muiielmen  ufed  to  repair  to  Jerufalem  for  the  fame  purpoies  of 
devotion. 

In  this  manner  the  holy  city  was  transferred  from  the  pof- 
fefiion  of  the  Greek  Christians  into  the  dominion  of  the  Ara- 
bian Muffelmen,  and  continued  in  fubjcclion  to  the  caliphs  ti!l 

M    0    T     IL    S. 

(8)  Elmacini  Hifl.  Sar.iccn.  Lib.  i.  W  22  et  cS-  Edit.  FrpeniK  Htr- 
belot  B.blioth.  Orienialt'.  P.  ^..St.  B^foagc's  Hift.  c{  the  Je-vs,  Book  6. 
Chap.  10.  Sea.  £.  Ockicy's  Hii>.  of  the  Sar.icens.  V"h  i.  P-  24-.-  .'^:c. 

(9)  Theophanes.  P.  281.  Edit.  Paris,  P.  224-  T.dit.  Venet.  Balnagc, 
ibid.  Ocklev  P.  249. 

{ I  ^  Umaclni  Hili.  Sar  •  Lib-  i.  P.  58.  Cckley,  Vol.  2.  P.  299* 
[2)  HerbelotBib.     Orient.  P.  2 ;o. 


S6  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

the  latter  part  of  the  eleventh  century,  that  is  above  four  hun^ 
dred  years.  At  tliat  time  (3)  the  Turks  of  the  Selzuccian  race 
had  made  thcrnfelves  mailers  of  PerHa,  had  ufurped  the  govern- 
ment, but  fubmitted  to  the  religion  of  the  country;  and  bein.o- 
hxinly  feated  there,  they  extended  their  conqucfts  as  far  as  Je- 
riifaiem,  and  farther,  Th^y  dro/e  out  the  Arabians,  and  alfo 
defpoiied  the  caliphs  of  their  power  over  it;  and  they  kept  pof- 
fenion  of  it,  till,  being  v/eakened  by  diviuons  among  themllK^es, 
they  v/erc  ejected  by  the  caliph  of  Kgypt,  The  caliph  of  Egypt, 
perceiving  the  diviiions  and  v/eaknefs  of  the  Turks,  advanced 
to  Jerufcilem  with  a  great  army;  and  the  Turks  expecting  no 
luccour,  prefently  furrende^-ed  it  to  him.  But  though  it  thus 
ciiangcd  malters,  and  paiTed  from  the  Arabians  to  the  Turks, 
and  from  the  Turks  to  the  Egyptians,  yet  the  religion  profeffed 
there  was  ftiil  the  fam.e,  the  Mohammedan  being  authorized  and 
efkbiiilied,  and  the  CiirJilian  only  tolera.ted  upon  payment  of 
tribute, 

The  Egyptians  enjoyed  their  conqueds  but  a  little  while; 
for  in  (4J  the  fame  year  that  they  took  poneiTion  of  it,  they 
were  difpoiTeffed  again  by  the  Franks,  as  they  are  generallv  de- 
nominated, or  the  Latin  Chridians,  Peter  the  hermit  of  A-^ 
mienSj  in  France,  went  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Paleftine,  and  there 
having  feen  and  Ihared  in  die  dircreiTes  and  miferies  oftha 
Chriitians,  he  reprefented  them,  at  his  return,  in  fuch  pathe-^ 
tic  terms,  that  by  his  preaching  and  infligation,.  and  by  the 
authority  of  Pope  Urban  II.  an.d  the  Council  of  Claremont,  the 
weft  was  ftirred  up  againft  the  eaft,  Europe  againR-  Aha,  the 
Chriftians  againil  ihe  Muffclmxen,  far  the  retaking  of  Jer ufa^ 
lem.,  and  for  the  recovery  of  the  l.oly  land  out  of  che  hands  of  the. 
mfidels.  It  was  the  epidemic  madneis  oL^the  time;  and  old 
?.nd  young,  men  and  women,  priefts  and  foidiers,  monks  and 
merchants,  peafants  and  mechanics,  all  were  eager  to  aiTume 
the  crofs,  and  to  fet  out  for  what  they  thought  the  holy  v/ar». 
— iSorne  alfert,  that  the  number  of  thofe  v/ho  went  out  on  this 
expedition,  amounted  to  above  a  million.  They  who  make 
the  iov/eft  computation  ainrm,  that  tliere  were  at  leall  thr^e 

K    O    T    E    S. 

(.0  Elmacini  Hift.  Saracen.  Lib.  :,.  \\  2^.7—287.  Abul-Pharnjii  Ilift, 
Dyn.  9.  P.  7 A  ^  Verf.  Poceckii.  Hcvlelot  Bib.  Orient.  P.  2^.9. 

(4)  Abal-PhaiajiiHiil.Dyn.9  P.  243-,  Verf.  Poceckii  Eimacini  Hift. 
Sa'acen.  Lib.  3.  P.  293.  Hctbclot  Bib.  Orient.  P.  r^x).  Sayn^^e's  AUri(JK. 
of  Ktiollcs  and  Ricant.  Vol.  i.  P.  i2,^r.c.  Voltiiire's  liift.  o(Euroi^iej. 
of  ihc  Crufcfcdes.    Duii's  Chronol.  1  ables. 


THE    ?  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  87 

hundred  thoufand  fighting  men.  After  fome  lofTes  and  fome 
Vi6lories,  the  army  fat  down  before  Jeruililem,  and  after  a  fiege 
of  five  weeks,  they  took  it  by  ftorm,  on  the  fifteenth  of  Jui;^ 
in  the  year  of  Chrift,  one  thoufond  and  ninetv-nine:  and  all 
who  were  not  Chriftians,  were  put  to  the  fword.  They  mafia- 
creed  above  feventy  thoufand  Muffelmen;  and  all  the  Jev/s  in 
the  place  they  gathered  and  burnt  together;  and  the  fpoil  that 
they  found  In  the  mofques  was  of  ineftimable  value.  Godfi-ey 
of  Boulogne,  the  general,  was  chofen  king;  and  there  reigned 
nine  kings  in  fucceflion;  and  the  kingdom  lubfiiled  eighty- 
eight  years,  till  the  year  of  Cbrifi-,  one  thoufand  one  hundred 
andeighty-feven,  when  the  Mufi^^lmen  regained  their  former 
dominion,  and  with  fcarce  any  interruption  have  retained  it  e- 
ver  fince. 

At  that  time  the  famous  Saladln,  having  fubverted  the  go- 
vernment of  the  caliphs,  had  caufed  himfelf  to  be  proclaimed 
fultan  of  Egvpt.  Having  alfo  fubdued  Syria  and  Arabia,  he 
form.ed  the  (5)  defign  of  befieging  Jerufalem,  and  of  putting 
an  end  to  that  kingdom.  He  marched  againft  it  with  a  power- 
ful and  vi<ftorious  army,  and  took  it  by  capitulation  on  Friday 
the  fecond  of  October,  after  a  fiege  of  fourteen  days.  He 
comj5)elled  the  Chriftians  to  redeem  their  lives  at  the  price  of 
ten  pieces  of  gold  for  a  man,  five  for  a  woman,  and  two  for  a 
boy  or  girl.  He  reftored  to  the  oriental  Chriftians  the  chuxh 
of  the  Holy  Sepulchre;  but  forced  the  Franks,  or  wefterii 
Chriftians  to  depart  to  Tyre,  or  other  places  which  were  in  the 
pofiTefHon  of  their  countrymen.  But  though  the  city  was  in  the 
hands  of  the  Muficlmen,  yet  the  Chriftians  had  ftill  their  no- 
minal king  of  Jerufalem;  and  for  fome  time  Richard  I.  of 
England,  who  was  one  of  the  moft  renowned  crufaders,  and 
had  eminently  diftinguiflicd  himfelf  in  the  holy  w^ars,  gloried 
in  the  empty  title.  The  city,  however^  (6)  did  not  remain  fo 
aflured  to  the  family  of  Saladin,  but  thirty  years  after  his  ne- 
phew, Al  Moadham,  fuUan  cjf  Damafcus,  v>ras  obliged  to  demo- 
iifti  the  walls,  not  being  able  to  keep  it  himfelf,  and  fearing 
left  the  Franks,  who  v/erc  then  again  become  formidable  in 
thofe  parts,  fhould  eftabliih  themfelves  again  in  a  place  of  fucH 

NOTE    S. 

(0  Elmaciniibid.P.  29.^  Abal-Pharajii  ibid.  273,  274.  Herlaelot 
ibiil.  P.  269  et  743.  Knolles  and  Savage,  P.  54.  Voltaire  ibid.  Bl^ii's 
Chronol.  Tables. 

(6)  licrbelot  ibid.  P.  169.  Knowlcs  and  Savage,  P.  74.  Voltaire 
ibid. 


SS  DISSERTATION  Son 

ftivngth.  Afterwards,  in  the  )XT;r  1228,(7)  another  of  Sahtlia's 
f.i:nily,  Al  Kame),  the  fultan  of  Egypt,  who,  after  the  death  of 
his  kinfman  Al  Moadham,  eiijo/ed  part  of  his  eftatcSy  to  fccure 
his  own  kingdom,  niade  a  treaty  with  t)ie  Franks,  and  yielded 
up  Jcrufaleni  to  the  emperor  Frederic  IL  upon  condition  that 
he  fhould  not  rebuild  ilic  walls,  ajid  that  the  mofqiu  s  fhoiild  be 
referved  for  the  devo:ions  of  the  MuiTelinen;  Frede;ic  was  ac- 
cordingly crowned  king  there,  but  foon  returned  into  Europe, 
Not  many  years  intervened,  before  (8)  the  Chriilians  broke  the 
truce;  and  Melccfalah,  fid  tan  of  Egypt,  being  greatly  offended, 
marched  directly  towards  Jsrufalem,  put  all  the  Franks  therein 
to  the  fword,  dtrmoliihed  tne  caille  which  they  had  built,  fackcd 
and  rafed  the  city,  not  even  fparing  the  fLpulchre  of  our  Saviour,' 
which,  till  that  time,  had  never  been  violated  or  defiled;  and  (9) 
before  the  end  of  the  fame  century,  the  crufaders,  or  European 
Chriftians,  were  totally  extirpated  out  of  the  holy  land,  having 
loii,  in  their  eafiern  expeditions,  according  to  fome  accounts,  a- 
bove  two  millions  of  perfons^ 

Before  this  time  the  MainalucS,  or  the  foreign  flaves  ta  the 
Egyptian  fultans,  had  ufurped  the  government  from  their 
malters:  and  foon  afccr  this  (i)  Kazan,  the  chan  of  the  Mogui-^ 
Tartar?,  made  an  irruption  into  Syria,  routed  Al  Nafer,  the 
fultan  of  Egvpt,  had  Damafcus  furrendered  to  him,  and  ordered 
Jcrufaiem  to  be  repaired  and  fortified*  But  being  recalled  by 
great  troubles  in  Perfia,  he  was  obliged  to  quit  his  new  con- 
quefls,  and  the  Mamaluc  fultan  of  Egypt,  foon  took  pofTeflion 
of  them  again.  In  like  manner,  (2)  when  the  great  Timur,  or 
Tamerlane,  like  a  mighty  torrent,  overwhelmed  Afia,  and  van- 
quifliedboih  the  Turkifh  and  Egyptian  fultans,  he  went  twice,- 
in  pafTmg  and  repailing,  to  vifit  the  holy  city,  gave  many  pre- 
fents  to  the  religious  perfons,  and  freed  the  i-nhabitants  fi-oin 
fubfidies  and  garrifons.  But  the  ebb  was  almoft  as  fudden  a^ 
the  flood.  He  died  within  a  few  yt-'^irs,  and  his  fons  and  grand-' 
fons  quarrelling  about  the  fucceflion,  his  vaft  empire,  in  a  littI^2 

'N  o  T   K    s. 

(7)  Abiil-Pharajii  ibid.  P.  305.  Herf^elot  Ihid.  P.  269  et  74;.  Knolleg 
and  Savage,  l\  8i.  Vohaire  ibid,  and  anir^ls  of  the  Empire.  Ann.  1229- 

I  8  )  Herbtdot  ibid.  F.  269.     Knollcs  and  Savage,  P.  8?. 

(9)  KnollfTs  and  S.ivjf;e,  P.  oj.     Voltaire  ibid. 

( T )  Pocockii  Supplem.  ad  Abul-Phar-.^jii  P.  a.  Knolles  and  Savage^ 
P.  06. 

( x)  Chalcocondylas  de  rebus  Turc.  Lib.  3,  Ilcrbelot,  P.  S77,  &(r. 
Koolles  and  Savage,  P.  13S,  urc. 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  89 

time  mouldered  away;  and  Jerufalem,  with  the  neighboring 
countries,  reverted  to  the  o'otdience  of  the  Mamalucs  again. — < 
It  was,  indeed,  in  a  ruined  and  deiblate  ilate,  as  Chalcocondylas 
(3)  dcfcribes  it,  and  the  Chriftians  paid  large  tribute  to  the  ful- 
tans  of  Egypt  for  accefs  to  the  fenulchre  of  Jefus.  And  in  the 
lame  ftate  it  continued,  wiih  little  variation,  under  the  domi- 
nion of  the  ^lamalucs,  for  the  fpace  of  above  two  hundred  and 
fixty  years,  till  at  length  this,  with  the  other  territories  of  the 
Mamalucs,  fell  a  prey  to  the  arms  of  the, Turks  of  the  Othmaii 
race. 

It  was  about  the  year  one  thou'fand  five  hundred  and  fixteen, 
that  (^)  Sclim,  the  ninth  emiperor  of  the  Turks,  turned  his 
arms  again!}  Egypt;  and  having  conquered  one  fultan,  and 
hanged  another,  he  annexed  Syria,  Egypt,  and  all  the  domini- 
ons of  the  Mamalucs,  to  the  Othman  empire.  In  his  v/ay  to 
Egypt,  he  did  as  Kazan  and  Tamerlane  had  done  before  him; 
he  (5)  went  to  vifit  the  holy  city,  the  feat  of  fo  many  prophets, 
and  the  fcene  of  fo  many  mii-acies.  It  lay  at  that  time  mifera- 
bly  deformed  and  ruined,  according  to  the  (6)  account  of  a 
contemporary  hiitorian,  not  inhabited  by  the  Jews,  who  were 
banifhed  into  all  the  world,  but  by  a  few  Chriflians,  who  paid 
krge  tribute  to  the  Egyptian  fultans,  for  the  polfcirion  of  the 
holy  fepulchre.  Seiim  offered  up  his  devotions  at  tiie  m.onu- 
ments  of  the  old  prophets,  and  prefcnted  the  Chriftian  priefts 
with  as  much  money  as  was  fufiicicnt  to  buy  them  provifions 
for  fix  months;  and  having  flayed  there  one  night,  he  went  to 
join  his  army  at  Gaza.     From  that  time  to  this  the  Othxiian 

Vol.  II.  M 

NOTE    S. 

( ■; )  Sep'jlchriim  Jefu  fub  poteilate  iflius  regis  in  PpJ^ef^ina  (itnm  -eil, 
unde  pliiriaium  hjcri  ei  accidit. — Situm  in  urbe  Hieruikiem,  qua;  devaf- 
tata  eft  cum  n)aritiraus  regionibus.  Chaicccond.  ibid.  P.  7i.  iidlt.  Pa- 
ris. P  59.     Edit.  Venet. 

(4)  Pocockii  Sapplem.  ad  Abul-Pharajii,  P.  29,30,  49.  Kerbclot 
Bir).  Orient.  P.  802.  Knolies  and  Savage,  P.  z^q,  &.c.  riince  Canie- 
mir's  Hift.  of  the  Othman  empire,  in  Seiim  I. 

(5)  Pauli  Jovii  Hift  Lib.  17.  Herbslot  ibid.  Knolies  and  Savage.  P. 
a43«     Prince  Cantemir  ibid.  Se<5t.  21.  P.  i6.^ 

(6)  Paulus  Jovius  ibid.  Ea  tunc  miferablii  facrarum  ruinarum  de- 
formitate  incalta  atque  deferta,  non  a  Judjeis  veteiibus  incolis,  qui 
tunc  toto  orbe  extorres  in  admifli  fceleris  pssnam,  nee  fedem  nee  pa- 
tnam  habent,  fed  a  paucis  Chriftianis  incolebatur.  li  cum  iqnominia 
et  gravi  admodum  contumelia  Chriftiani  nominis>  oh  concefTam  vene- 
randi  fepulchri  polfdiioaeni.  grave  tributum  jEgyptiis  regibus  perfol- 
vuat,  ^c. 


9a  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S  o  N 

emperors  have  (7)  pofTcflcd  it,  under  the  title  of  Hami,  that  :^ 
of  protc6lors,  and  not  of  mailers ;  though  they  are  more  proper- 
ly tyrants  and  oppreiTors.  Turks,  Arabians,  and  Chriftlans  of 
various  fe6ts  and  nations  dwell  there  out  of  reverence  to  the 
place,  but  very  few  Jev^s:  and  of  thofe  the  greateft  part,  as  (8) 
Bafnage  fays,  are  beggars,  and  live  upon  alms.  The  Jews  fay,, 
that  when  the  MeiTiah  iliall  come,  the  city  will  undergo  a  con- 
flagration and  inundation,  in  order  to  be  purified  from  the  defile- 
ments which  the  ChriRian  and  Mahometan  have  committed  in 
iti  and  therefore  they  choofe  not  to  fettle  there.  But  the  wri- 
ter juft  mentioned  afligns  two  more  probable  and  natural  rea- 
fons.  One  is,  "  that  the  Mahometans  look  upon  Jerufalem  as 
"a  holy  place;  and  therefore  there  are  a  great  many  Santons 
"  and  devout  Muflelm.en,  who  have  taken  lip  their  abode  there, 
"  who  are  pcrfccators  of  the  Jews  as  well  as  of  the  Chriftians,. 
"  fo  that  they  have  lefs  tranquillity  and  liberty  in  Jerufalem  than 
"  in  other  places:  and  as  there  is  very  little  trade,  there  is  not 
"  much  to  be  got,  and  this  want  of  gain  drives  them^  av/ay." 

By  thus  tracing  the  hiftory  of  Jercfalem,  from  the  deftruc- 
tlon  by  Titus  to  the  prefent  time,  i.t  appears  evidently,  that  as 
the  Jev/s  have  been  led  azvay  captive  into  all  nations^  fo  Jerufa- 
lem hath  been  trodden  dozvn  of  the  Gentiles.  There  are  now  al- 
moft  one  thoufand  (QVtw  hundred  years,  in  which  the  Jewifh  na- 
tion have  been  a  ftanding  monument  of  the  truth  of  Chrift's 
predivflions,  themfeives  difperfed  oi-er  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth,  and  their  land  groaning  under  the  yoke  of  foreign  lords 
and  conquerors:  And,  at  this  da}^,  there  is  no  reafon  to  doubt 
but  they  will  continue  in  the  fame  flrate,  nor  ever  recover  their 
native  country,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled.  Our 
Saviour's  words  are  very  memorable.  Jerufalem  foall  he  trod- 
den down  of  the  Gentiles\  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfil^ 
led.  It  is  Hill  trodden  down  by  the  Gentiles,  and  confequently 
the  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  not  yet  fulfilled.  When  the  times 
of  the  Gentiles  fliall  he  fulfilled^  then  the  expreffion  implies  that 
the  Jcv/s  fnall  be  reftored:  And  for  what  reafon  can  we  believe, 
that  thoMgh  they  are  difperfed  among  all  nations,  yet  by  a  con- 
flant  miracle  they  are  kept  diflind  from  all,  but  for  the  farther 


NOTES. 

(7)  --  ct  fe*'.  f-jcrcfTcurs  Pont  pofFedee  jiifqn'a  prefent  fous  le  titre 
da  Uami,  c'cfl-a-dire,  de  protcdeurs,  et  non  pas  de  maitrcs.    Herbolcc 

r.  170. 

(8)  Bafnage's  Hiftory  of  the  Jev/s.     J3.  7.  Chap.  24.  Sed.  10. 


THE    PROPHECIES.'  91 

^jmanifeftatlon  of  God's  purpofes  towards  them  ?  The  prophecies 
have  been  accompliihed  to  the  greatcft  cxac'lnefs  in  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  their  city,  and  its  continuing  ftili  f.bjccSt  to  ftrangers,  in 
the  difperfion  of  their  people,  and  tlieir  living  ftiil  feparare  from 
all  people;  and  why  fhould  not  the  remaining  parts  of  the  fame 
prophecies  be  as  fully  accompliihed  too  in  their  reftoration,  at 
the  proper  feafon,  when  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  jhall  be  fulfilled? 
The  times  of  the  Gentiles  will  be  fulfilled,  when  the  times  of 
■the  four  great  kingdoms  of  the  Gentiles,  according  to  Daniel's 
prophecies,  fliall  be  expired,  and  the  fifth  kingdom^  or  the  king- 
■com  of  Chriif,  fhall  be  fet  up  in  their  place,  and  the  faints  of  the 
Alofi  High  fhall  take  the  kingdom^ajid  pofjfs  the  kingdom  for  cver^ 
even  for  ever  and  evsr!  Jcrufalem,  as  ic  hath  hitherto  remain- 
ed, fo  probably  v/ili  remain  in  fubje£i:ion  to  the  Gentiles,  until 
thefe  times  of  the  Gentiles  he  fulfilled;  or,  as  St.  Paul  expreOeth 
it,  Rom.  xi.  25,  26,  "  until  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  be  come 
'^  in;  and  fo  all  Ifrael  fhall  be  faved,",  and  become  again  the 
people  of  God.  The  fulnefs  of  the  jczvs  will  come  in,  as  well 
as  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles,  For,  verfe  12,  &c.  "  If  the  fliU 
"  of  them  be  the  riches  of  the  world,  and  the  dimiinifiiing  of 
<'  them  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles;  how  much  more  their  ful- 
"nefs?  For  I  would  not,  brethren,  that  ye  fliouid  be  ignorant 
-"  of  this  myftery,  that  blindnefs  in  part  is  happened  to  Ifrael, 
«  until  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in:  And  fo  all  If- 
*^raelfli-ull,befaved. 


9» 


DISSERTATIONS    ok 


tssmat.^'samni'mmvKn, 


XXI. 

The  fame  fuhjeSf  continued. 
PART    IV. 


WHEN  vvc  iirH:  entered  on  an  explanation  of  our  Savi- 
our's prophecies  relating  to  the  deftr';6lion  of  Jerufa- 
Icm,  comprifed  cliicfly  in  this  24th  chiapter  of  St.  A4atthew,  it 
was  obfcrved  that  the  difciples,  in  their  quefiions,  propofe  two 
things  to  our  Saviour^  firft,  when  fnosfld  be  the  t'wie  of  his  com- 
ing cr  the  deftiudion  of  Jcri^falemj  and,  fecondly,  what  fhould 
be  theyF^^'j  of  it,  verf.  3.  "  Tell  us  when  fhall  thefts  things  be, 
"  and  what  fhall  be  the  figns  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  conclu- 
*'  fion  of  the  age."  The  latt-r  part  of  the  queiiion  our  Saviour 
anOA'ereth  firfc,  and  treateth  at  large  of  the y/^;? 5  of  the  deftr'  c- 
tion  of  Jcrufalem  from  the  4th  verfe  of  the  chapter  to  the  3iil, 
inclufivc.  He  toucheth  upon  the  mofi:  material  pafTages  and 
accidents,  not  only  of  thofe  which  were  to  forerun  this  great  c- 
vent,  but  likewife  of  thofe  which  were  to  attend,  and  immediate- 
ly to  follow  upon  it:  and  having  thus  anfwered  the  latter  part 
of  the  queftion,  he  proceeds  now,  in  w^^yk  320,  to  anfwer  the 
former  part  of  the  quciHon,  as  to  the  time  of  his  coming -and  the 
deftr'  dion  of  Jernfalem. 

He  begms  with  obfcrving  that  the  figns  Vv'hich  he  had  given 
would  be  as  certain  an  indication  of  the  time  of  his  coming 
?.s  the  fig-tree's  putting  forth  its  leaves  is  of  the  approach  of 
fummer;  verfe  32,  33.  "  Now  learn  a  parable  of  the  fig-tree: 
"  when  liis  branch  is  yet  tender,  and  pnttcth  fv  rth  leaves,  ye 
"  know  that  fummer  is  nigh:  So  likewife  ye,  when  ye  f hail 
"  fee  all  things,  know  that  it  is  near,"  or  he  is  near,  "  e\'en 
"  at  the  doors."  He  proceeds  to  declare  that  the  time  of  his 
coming  was  at  no  very  great  diilance;  and  to  fhow  that  he 
liath  been  fpeaking  all  'this  while  of  the  deliruclion  of  Jerufa- 
Jcm,  he  affirms  with  his  ufual  affirmation,  verfe  34.  "  Verily, 
<'  I  {i\y  unto  you,  This  generation  fhaii  not  pafs,  tlil  all  thefe 


THE    PROPHECIES.  93 

«  things  be  ff.-lfilled."     It  Is  to  me  a  wond-r  how  any  man  can 
refer  part  of  the  foregoing  difcourfe  to  the  deftrudion  of  Jera- 
falcm,  and  part  to  the  end  <fthe  world,  or  any  other  di riant 
event,  when  It  is  faid  fo  pofitively  here  In  the  conclufion,  JU 
thefe  things  fh all  he  fulfilled  in  this  generation.     It  fcemeth  as 
if  our  Saviour  had  been  aware  of  feme  fuch  mifapplication  of 
his  words,  by  adding  3^et  greater  f  rce  and  emphafis  to  his  affir- 
mation, verf.  35.     "  Heaven  and  earth  Hiall  pafs  away,  but  my 
«  words  fliall  not  pafs  away."  It  Is  a  common  figure  of  fpeech  in 
the  oriental  languages,  to  fay  of  two  things  that  the  one  fnall  be 
and  the  other  fliail  not  be,  when  the  meaning  is  only  that  the  one 
fliall  happen  fooner  or  more  eafily  than  the  other.  As  in  this  in- 
ftance  of  our  Saviour,  Heaven  and  earth  foall pafs  avjay.  hut  my 
words  fiall  not  pafs  azuay^  the  meaning  is,  Heaven  and  earth  (hail 
fooner  and  more  eafiiy  pafs  away  than  m.y  words  fhail  pafs  away; 
the  frame  of  the  univerfeihall  fooner  or  more  eafily  be  diifolvcd 
than  mv  words  (hall  not  be  fulfilled:  And  thus  It  is  expreffed  by 
Luke  upon  a  like  occafion,  xvi.  17.     "  It  Is  eauer  for  heaven 
«  and  earth  to  pafs,  than  one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fail/' 

In  another  place  he  %s.  Matt.  xvi.  28.  "  There  are  fomc 
«  ftanding  here,  v/ho  fliall  not  tafte  of  death,  till  they  fee  the  Son 
"  of  Man  coming  in  his  kingdom :"  intimating  that  it  would 
not  fucceed  immediately,  and  yet  not  at  fuch  a  diftance  of  time, 
but  that  fome  then  living  fhould  be  fpeftators  of  the  calamities 
coming  upon  the  nation.  In  like  manner  he  fays  to  the  women, 
who  bewailed  and  lamented  him  as  he  was  going  to  be  crucified, 
Luke  xxiii.  28.  "  Daughters  of  Jcrufelem,  weep  not  for  me, 
''  but  weep  for  yourfelves,  and  for  your  children:"  which  fuiH- 
clently  implied,' that  the  days  of  diftrefs  and  rniiery  v/ere  com- 
ing, and  would  fall  on  them  and  their  children.  But  at  that 
time  there  was  not  any  appearance  of  fuch  immediate  ruin. — ■ 
The  wifefl  politician  couid  not  have  inferred  it  from  the  then 
prefent  flate  of  affairs.  Noticing  lefs  than  divine  preicience 
could  have  certainly  forefeen  and  foretold  it. 

But  flill  the  exadi  time  of  this  judgment  was  unknown  to 
all  creatures,  verfe  36.  "  But  of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth 
«  no  rran,  no  not  the  angels  of  heaven,  but  my  Father  only." 
The  Greek  word  (i)  is  of  larger  (ignificatlon  than  hour-,  and 
befides  it  feemeth  fomewhat  iniproper  to  fay,  Of  that  day  and 

NOTE.  .  I-  - 

Ci)  Hie  non  diel  partlculam  i^^  latius  fumpti  tempons  ambitura  in- 
telligo,  5cc.    Grot,  in  locum. 


94.' 


DISSERTATIONS    on 


hour  knoweth  no  man\  for  if  the  day  was  not  known,  certainly 
the  hour  was  not,  and  it  was  fuperfluous  to  make  fuch  an  addi- 
tion. 1  conceive  therefore  that  the  paflage  fhould  be  rendered, 
not  of  that  day  and  hour  knoiveth  no  man^  but  of  that  day  and  {(12.- 
fon  kncwctJ)  no  ?nav^  as  the  word  is  frequently  ufcd  in  the  beit 
authors,  both  facred  and  profane.  It  is  true,  our  Saviour  diZ- 
chres^  JIl  thefe  things  JJjall  he  fulfilled  in  this  generation-,  it  is 
true,  the  prophet  Daniel  hath  given  fome  intimation  of  the 
time  in  his  famous  prophecy  of  the  feventy  weeks:  But  though 
this  great  revolution  was  to  happen  in  that  generation,  though 
it  was  to  happen  towards  the  concluHon  of  feventy  weeks  or 
four  hundred  and  ninety  years,  to  be  computed  from  a  certain 
date  that  is  not  eafy  to  be  fixed:  yet  the  particular  day^  the  par- 
ticular feafon  in  which  it  was  to  happen,  might  flill  remain  a 
iecret  to  rnen  and  angels:  And  our  Saviour  had  before,  verfe 
20,  advifed  his  difciples  to  pray,  that  their  flight  be  not  in  the 
•winter^  neither  on  the  fahbath-day;  the  day  not  being  known, 
they  might  pray  that  their  fiiglit  be  not  on  the  fabbath-day; 
t\\Q  feafon  not  being  known,  they  might  pray  that  their  flight  be 
not  in  the  zvinter. — As  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noah,  faith  our 
Saviour,  verf.  37,  38,  39.  fo  fnali  it  be  now.  As  then,  they 
were  eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage, 
till  they  were  furprifed  by  the  flood,  notwithftanding  the  fre- 
quent warnings  and  admonitions  of  the  preacher  of  righteouf- 
nefs:  fo  now,  they  fhall  be  engaged  in  the  bufmefs  and  plea- 
fures  of  the  world,  little  expe6ting,  little  thinking  of  this  uni- 
verfil  ruin,  till  it  come  upon  them,  notwithflanding  the  exprefs 
predictions  and  declarations  of  Chrill:  and  his  apoftles.  Then 
Jhall  two  be  in  the  field,  the  one  fljall  be  taken  and  the  other  left : 
Two  women  fimll  be  grinding  at  the  mill.  Dr.  Shaw,  in  his  tra- 
vels, making  fome  obfervations  upon  the  kingdoms  of  Algiers 
and  Tunis,  iays,  in  P.  297,  that  "  women  alone  are  employed 
"  to  grind  their  corn,  and  that  when  the  uppermoft  millftonc  is 
"  large,  or  expedition  is  required,  then  only  a  fecond  woman  is 
*'  called  in  to  aiTiil."  This  obfervation  I  owe  to  Biiliop  Pearce. 
— "  'I'wo  women  {hall  be  grinding  at  the  mill,  the  one  fhall  be 
<'  taken,  and  the  other  left."  verf.  40,  41.  That  is,  Provi- 
dence will  then  make  a  diftin(^ion  between  fuch,  as  are  not  at  all 
diifinguilhed  now.  Some  {hall  be  refcued  from  the  deflruClion 
of  Jerufalcm,  like  Lot  out  of  the  burning  of  Sodom:  while  o- 
thcrs,  no  ways  pcrliaps  diflfcrent  in  outv/aid  circumfiances,  fliall 
be  left  toperifh  in  it. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  9«j 

The  matter  is  carried  fomewhat  farther  in  the  parallel  place 
of  St.  Mark;  and  it  is  faid  not  only  that  the  angels  were  exclud- 
ed from  the  knowledge  of  the  particular  time,  but  that  the  Son 
himfelf  was  alfo  ignorant  of  it.  The  thirteenth  chapter  of  that 
evaiK'-elift  anfwers  to  the  twenty-fourth  of  St.  Matthew.  Our 
Saviour  treateth  there  of  the  hgns  and  circumftances  of  his 
comino-,  and  the  deftrutSlion  of  Jerufalam,  from  the  5ch  to  the 
27th  verfe  inclufr/e;  and  then  at  verfe  the  28th  he  proceeds  to 
treat  of  the  time  of  his  coming,  and  the  defrrudiion  of  Jerufa- 
lem.  The  text  in  St.  Matthew  is,  "  Of  that  day  and/eafon 
"  knowcth  no  man,  no  not  the  angels  of  heaven,  but  my  Fatlier 
«  only.  The  text  in  St.  Mark  is,  "  of  that  day  and  fearoiz 
'*•  knoweth  no  man,  no  not  the  angels  which  are  in  heaven, 
*'  neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father."  It  is  true,  the  words  72el^ 
ther  the  Son^  were  omitted  in  fome  copies  of  St.  Mark,  as  they 
are  inferted  in  fome  copies  of  St.  Matthew:  but  there  is  no  fuf- 
ficient  authority  for  the  omiflion  in  St.  Mark,  any  more  than 
for  the  infertion  in  St.  Pvlatthew.  Erafmus,  and  fome  of  the 
moderns,  (2)  are  of  opinion,  that  the  words  were  omitted  iii  the 
text  of  St.  Matthew,  left  they  fhould  afford  a  handle  to  the  A- 
rians  for  proving  the  Son  to  be  inferior  to  the  Father:  but  it 
was  to  little  purpofe  to  erafe  them  out  of  St.  Matthew,  and  ta 
leave  them  llanding  in  St.  Mark.  On  the  contrary,  St.  Am.- 
brofe,  and  fome  of  the  ancients  (3)  afTert,  that  they  were  infert- 
ed in  the  text  of  St.  Mark  by  the  Arians:  but  there  is  as  littk 
foundation  or  pretence  for  this  affertion,  as  there  is  for  the  o- 
ther.  It  is  much  more  probable,  that  they  were  omitted  in 
fome  copies  of  St.  Mark,  by  fome  indifcreet  orthodox,  wlio 
thought  them  to  bear  too  hard  upon  our  Saviours  dignity. — . 
For  all  the  rnoft  ancient  copies  and  trandations.  extant  retain 
them;  the  moH  ancient  fathers  quote  them,  and  comment  up- 
on them.  And  ceitainly  it  is  eafier  for  words  to  be  omitted  in 
a.copy,  fo  that  the  omiiiion  ihould  not  generally  prevail  after- 
wards, than  it  is  for  v/ords  to  be  inferted  in  a  copy,  fo  that  the 
infertion  ftiould  generally  prevail  afterwards.  Admit  the  words 
therefore  as  the  genuine  v/ords  of  St.  Mark,  we  miift,  and  we 
may,  without  any  prejudice  to  our   Saviour's  divinity.     For 

NOTES. 

(2)  Proindefiifpicor  hoc  a  nonnulils  fubtraanm,  ne  Arianis  elTet  aii- 
fa  confirmandi  Filium  efie  Patre  minoreiu..  6cc.     Erafm.  in  locum. 

(3)  Ambrof.  de  Fide.  Lib. ,?.  Cap.  8.  Veteres  Grasci  codices  non  ha- 
bent.  Quod  nee  filius  fcit;  fed  non  mitum  eil,  fi  et  hoc  falfarunt  qui 
fcripturas  interpclavers  divina2. 


96  DISSERTATIONSoN 

Chriil:  maybe  confiJered  in  two  refpecls,  In  his  human  and  in 
his  di\'i:ie  nature;  and  vvb<it  is  faid  v/ith  regard  only  to  the  for- 
mer, doth  not  at  all  affect  the  latter.  As  he  was  the  great 
teacher  and  revealer  of  his  Father's  will,  he  mi^ih^  knov/more 
than  the  angels,  and  yet  he  might  not  know  all  things.  It  is 
faid  in  St.  Luke,  ii.  52.  that  "  Jefus  increafcd  in  wiidom  and 
*'  ftature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man."  He  increafed  in 
wifdom^  and  confjqueiii.iy  in  his  human  nature  he  was  not  om.- 
nifcient.  In  his  human  nature  he  was  the  Son  of  David;  in  his 
divine  nature  he  was  the  Z(?rt/ of  David.  In  his  human  nature 
he  v/as  upon  earth;  in  his  divine  nature  he  was  "  in  heaven," 
John  iii.  13.  even  while  upon  earth.  In  like  manner  it  may  be 
faid,  that  though  as  God  he  might  know  all  things,  yet  he  might 
be  ignorant  of  fome  things  as  man.  And  of  tjiis  particular  the 
Meiiiah  might  be  ignorant,  becaufe  it  was  no  part  of  his  ofHce 
0/  commiilion  to  reveal  it.  "  It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the 
**  times  or  the  feafons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own 
"  power,"  as  our  Saviour  Hiid,  A6^s  i.  7.  v/hen  a  like  queftion 
was  propofed  to  him.  It  might  be  proper  f  ^r  the  difciples,  and 
for  the  Jev/s  too,  by  their  means,  to  know  the  figns  and  circum- 
fiances  of  our  Saviour's  coming  and  the  deftrudlion  of  jerufa- 
lem;  but  upon  many  accounts  it  might  be  unfit  for  them  both 
to  know  the  precife  time. 

Hitherto  we  have  explained  this  24th  chapter  of  St.  Mat- 
thew as  relating  to  the  deftruction  of  Jerufalem,  and  without 
doubt  as  relating  to  the  deilruclioa  of  Jerufalem  it  is  primarily 
to  be  underltood.  But  though  it  is  to  be  underftood  of  this 
primarily,  yet  it  is  not  to  be  underftood  of  this  only:  for  there 
is  no  queflion  that  our  Saviour  had  a  farther  view  and  mean- 
ing in  it.  It  is  ufual  with  the  prophets  to  frame  and  exprefi 
their  prophecies  fo,  as  that  thev  fnall  comprehend  more  than 
one  event,  and  have  their  feveral  periods  of  completion.  This 
every  one  muft  have  obferved,  who  hath  been  ever  fo  little 
converfant  in  the  v/r' tings  of  the  ancient  prophets:  and  this  I 
conceive  to  be  the  cafe  here,  and  the  dellruflion  of  Jerufalem 
to  be  typical  of  the  end  of  the  world.  The  deftruiiion  of  a 
great  city  is  a  lively  type  and  image  of  the  end  of  the  world; 
and  we  may  obferve  that  our  Saviour  no  fooner  begins  to  fpeak 
of  thedeftruclion  of  Jerufalem,  than  his  figures  aie  railed,  his 
language  is  fvvelled,  and  he  cxprefTeth  hir.felfin  fuch  terms, 
a*-^,  in  a  lower  {cn(t^  indeed,  are  applicable  to  the  deflruciion  of 
Jerufalem,  but  defcribe  fcaicihing  higher  in  their  proptT  aiid 


THE    PROPHECIES.  97 

genuine  figniflcation.  "'Thefunjhall  be  darkened^  the  ?nQon  fuall 
twt  give  her  lights  thejiars  Jhallfall  from  heaven^  the  powers  of 
ihe  heavens  fieill  he  fiMiken^  the  Son  of  Man  Jh  all  co?ne  in  the  clouds 
cf  heaven  zvith  power  and  great  glory^  and  he  foall  fend  his  angels 
with  a  great  found  of  a  trumpet  j  and  they /hall  gather  together  his 
€lec?  from  the  four  ivinds^from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other  :~^ 
Theie  pailages,  in  a  figurative  lenfe,  as  we  have  {nciiy  may  b<i 
imderflood  ot'the  deilrutStion  of  Jerufalcm,  but  in  their  literal 
{en(<^y  can  be  meant  only  of  the  end  of  the  world.  In  like  man- 
ner that  text.  Of  that  day  andfeafon  knoiveth  no  man^  no  not  the 
angels  of  heaven^  but  my  Father  only,  the  conliftence  and  con- 
nection of  rhe  difcourfc  oblige  us  to  underitand  it  as  fpoken  of 
the  time  of  the  deftruction  of  Jerufalem,  but  in  a  higher  f^nfe. 
it  may  be  true  alfo  of  the  time  of  the  end  of  the  world  and  th^ 
general  judgment.  All  the  fubfequent  difcourfe  too,  v/e  may 
obferve,  doth  not  relate  fo  properly  to  the  deftru6lion  of  Jerufa- 
lem  as  to  the  end  of  the  v*'orld  and  the  general  judgment.  Our 
Saviour  lofeth  fight,  as  it  were,  of  his  former  fubjeiSl,  and  adapts 
his  difcourfe  more  to  the  latter.  And  the  end  of  the  Jewifh 
ftate  was,  in  a  manner,  the  end  of  the  world  to  many  of  the  Jews. 

The  remaining  part  of  the  chapter  is  fo  clear  and  caiy  «^s  to 
jieed  no  comment  or  explanation.  It  will  be  more  proper  to 
conclude  with  fome  ufeful  reflections  upon  the  whole. 

It  appears  next  to  impoffible,  that  any  man  fliould  duly  con* 
fider  thofe  prophecies,  and  the  exact  completion  of  them  j  and, 
if  he  is  a  believer,  not  be  confirmed  in  the  faith;  or  if  he  is 
an  infidel,  not  be  converted.  Can  any  Wronger  proof  be  given 
of  a  divine  revelation  than  the  fpiric  of  prophecy;  and  can 
any  ftrongcr  proof  be  given  of  the  fpirit  of  prophecy,  than 
the  examples  nov/  before  us,  in  v/hich  fo  many  contingencies, 
and,  I  may  fay,  improbabilities,  which  human  wifdom.  or  pru- 
dence could  never  forefee,  are  fo  particularly  foretold,  and  To 
punctually  accompliihed?  At  the  time  when  Chrift  pronounc- 
ed thefe  prophecies,  the  P.oman  governor  refided  at  Jerufalem, 
and  h^iX  a  force  fufiicient  to  keep  the  people  in  obedierice:  and 
could  human  prudence  forefee  that  the  city  as  well  as  the 
country  wo'jld  revolt  and  rebel  againit  the  Romans?  Could 
human  prudence  forefee  famines^  and  pejiilences^  and  earth-> 
^7^^/-^j,  in  divers  places?  Could  human  prudence  forefee  the 
Ipeedy  propagation  of  the  gofpel  fo  contrary  to  all  human  pro- 
bability? Could  human  prudence  forefee  fuch  an  utter  deltruc- 

"Mqu  II.  N 


93  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  N 

tion  of  Jcrufaiem,  with  all  the  circumflances  precednig  and 
following  it?  It  was  never  the  cultom  of  the  Ronaans  abfo- 
lutely.to  ruin  any  of  their  provinces.  It  was  improbable^ 
therefore  that  fuch  a  thing  fliouid  happen  at  all,  and  ftiil  mors 
improbable  that  it  fhould  happen  under  the  humane  and  gene- 
rous Titus,  who  was  indeed,  as  he  was  (4)  called,  the  love  and 
dcFtght  of  inajikhid. 

What  is  ufually  objcfted  to  the  other  predictions  of  holy 
writ,  cannot,  with  any  pretence,  be  objc£led  to  thefe  prophe- 
cies of  our  Saviour,  that  they  are  figurative  and  obfcure;  fof 
nothing  can  be  conveyed  in  plainer,  fimpler  terms,  except  where 
he  affecled  fome  obfcurity,  as  it  hath  been  fhov/n,  for  particu- 
lar reafons.     It  is  allowed,  indeed,  that  fome  of  thefe  prophecies 
are  taken  from  Mofcs  and  Daniel.     Our  Saviour  prophefying 
.of  the  fame  events,  hath  borrowed  and  applied  fome  of  the  lame 
images  and  expreflions.     But  this  is  a  commendation  rather 
than  any  diicrcdit  to  his  prediulions.     He  hath  built  upon  the 
foundations  of  the  infpired  writers  before  him;  but  what  a  fu- 
perilruclure  hath  he  railed  1  He  hath  ailed  in  this  cafe  as  in  e- 
very  other,  like  one  who  came  not  to  dellroy  the  law  and  the 
prophets.  But  to  fulfil  tliem.    He  hath  manifefted  himfelf  to  be  a 
true  prophet,  by  his  exact  interpretation  and  application  of  o- 
'ther  prophets.     He  is  alfo  much  more  particular  and  circum- 
ftantial  than  cither  IMofcs  or  Daniel.     In  feveral  inilances  his 
prophecies  are  entirely  nev/,  and  properly  .his  ov/n:  and  befides 
'he  ufes  greater  precifion  in  fixing  and  confining  the  time  to  that 
rery  generation. 

l^.  Kor  the  completion  of  thefe  prophecies  the  perfons  fecm  to 
""have  been  Vvonderfully  raifed  up  and  pref^rved  by  di\ine  pro- 
vidence. Vefpafian  v/as  promoted  from  obfcurity >  and  though 
feared  and  hated  by'  Nero,  yet  was  preferred  by  him,  a::i 
angled  out  as  the  ojtly  general  among  the  Romans  who  wiu^ 
equ.d  to  f :ch  a  war;  God,  perhaps,  as  (5)  Jofephus  intimate?, 
.Qj>  difpofing  and  ordering  affairs.  He  had  fubdued  the  great- 
eft  part  ut  Jtdea,  when  he  was  advanced  to  tlie  empire;  and 
he  v/as  hiippy  in  putting  an  QWiS,  to  the  civil  wars,  and  to  the 
other  irouhl:.",  and  calainilies  of  the  ftate,  or  othcrwife  he 
would  hardly  have  biv^i    it  leifiire  to  profecute  the  war  with 

NOTES. 

..     (4)  , Amor  ac  delic:.s  hnmani  generis.    Suet,  in  Tito.  Se^ft.  r. 
.'      ( ;)~Forfan  tt Deo  ali^ai.!   de'nniveiTis  prxordlnante.     Jofeph.dc 
B-U.  Jud.I.ib.  ;.Car.  i.  Sea.  j,  P.  riiS.     Edit.  Hudfoa. 


T  n  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  99  ' 

the  Jews.  Titus  was  wonderfully  prcfervcd  in  the  mofl:  criti- 
cal articles  of  danger.  While  he  was  taking  a  view  of  the  city, 
he  was  furroundsd  by  the  enem}',  ?.nd  nothing  lefs  was  expelled 
than  that  he  fhould  be  flain,  or  made  prilbncr:  but  he  refolutc- 
ly  broke  through  the  midH;  of  them,  and,  though  unarmed,  yet 
?.rriyed  unhurt  at  his  ov/n  camp:  upon  which  (6)  Jofephus 
maketh  this  reflection,  that  from  hence  it  is  obvious  to  under- 
ftand,  that  the  turns  of  war,  and  the  dangers  of  princes,  are  un- 
^er  the  peculiar  care  of  God.  Jofephus  himfelf  was  a'fo  no  lefs 
wonderfullv  preferved  than  Titus,  the  one  to  deftroy  the  city, 
and  the  other  to  record  its  deftru(Stion.  He  marvelloufly  ef- 
caped  from  the  fnares  which  were  laid  for  him  (7)  by  John  of 
Gifchala,  and  (8)  by  Jefus  the  chief  of  the  robbers:  and  v/hen 
(9)  his  companions  were  determined  to  kiil  him  and  themfelves 
rather  than  furrender  to  the  R.omans,  he  prevailed  with  them  to 
draw  lots  who  fliould  be  killed,  the  one  after  the  other;  and  at 
lafl  he  was  left  with  only  one  other,  v/hom  he  perfuaded  tofuh- 
mit  with  him  to  the  Romans.  Thus  was  he  faved  from  the 
moft  imminent  deltrudlion:  and  he  himfelf  efteemed  it,  as  it 
cetainly  was,  a  fingular  indance  of  divine  providence. 

As  Veii:>afian  aixl  Titus  feem  to  have  been  raifed  up  and 
preferved  for  the  completion  of  thefe  prophecies,  fo  might 
Jofephus  for  the  illuftration  of  their  completion.  For  the 
particular  paflages  and  tranfa<Stions,  by  which  we  prove  the 
completion  of  thefe  prophecies,  we  derive  not  fo  much  from 
Chriftian  writers,  who  might  be  fu^j^efted  of  a  defign  to  paral- 
hl  the  events  with  the  predidtions,  as  from  Heathen  authors, 
and  chiefly  from  Jofe;>hus,  the  Jewifh  hiftorian,  who,  though 
very  exadt  and  minute  in  other  relations,  yet  avoids  as  much  as 
ever  he  can,  the  mention  of  Chrilli,  and  the  Chriftian  religion. 
He  doth  iiot  Co  much  as  once  mention  the  name  offalfe  Chrljts^ 
though  he  hath  frequent  occafion  to  ff^eak  largely  oi falfe  /)?•<?- 
phetSy  fo  cautious  was  he  of  touching  upon  any  thing,  that 
might  lead  him  to  the  acknowle^Jgment  of  the  true  Chrift, — 
HisfileiKe  here  is  as  remarkable,  as  his  copioufncfs  upon  other 
rubje6ls.     It  is,  indeed,  very  providential,  that  a  more  particu- 

NOTES. 

(6)  Hint:  fane  maxime  licet  intelligcre,  Deo  curse  efle  et  belli  mo* 
nicnta  et  regutu  pericula.     Ih.  Lib.  5.  Cap,  a.  Seel.  a.  P.  izi6, 

(7)  Jofephi  Vita,  Sed.  17,  occ. 

(8)  Ibid.  Sea.  22. 

(v)  DeBdi.Jud.Lib.  3.Cap.  J. 


ioo  DISSERTATIONS    ok 

lar  detail,  a  more  exaQ  hiftory  is  pcieferved,  of  the  dellruBion'of 
Jerufalem,  and  of  all  the  circumftances  relating  to  it,  than  of 
any  other  matter  whatfcevcr,  tranfaded  fo  long  ago:  and  it  is 
an  additional  advantage  to  our  caufc,  that  thefe  accounts  are 
tranfmitted  to  us  by  a  Jew,  and  by  a  Jew  who  was  himfelf  an 
cye-witnefs  to  moft  of  the  things  wriich  he  relates.     As  a  ge- 
neral in  the  wars,  he  mufl  have  had  an  exa^i  knowledge  of  ail 
tranfaflions,  and  as  a  Jewilli   prieft,  he  would  not  relate  them 
with  any  favor  or  partiality  to  the  Chriftian  caule.     His  hiilo- 
ry  ( i)  was  approved  by  Vefpafian  and  Titus  (who  ordered  it  to 
be  [nbliOied)  and  by  king  Agrippa,  and  many  others  both  Jews 
and  Romans,  who  were  prefent  in  thofe  wars.     He  had  like- 
wife  many  enemies,  who  would  readily  have  convicled  him  of 
any  falfiiication,  if  he  had  been  guilty  of  any.     He  defigned 
nothing  lefs,  and  yet  as  if  Jie  had  defigned  nothing   more,  his 
hiftory  of  the  Jewifli  wars  may  ferve  as  a  larger  comment  on. 
our  Saviour's  prophecies  of  the  deilrudlion  of  Jerufalem.     If 
any  one  would  compare  our  Saviour's  words  with  that  writer's 
hiftory  of  the  whole  war,  as  (2)  Euf-bius  very  well  obferves, 
he  could  not  but  admire  and  acknowledge  our  Saviour's  pre- 
fcicncc  and  prediction  to  be  wonderful  above  nature,  and  truly 
divine. 

The  prediBions  are  the  cleareft,  as  the  cakmlties  v/ere  the 
2reateft,  which  the  v/orld  ever  faw:  and  what  heinous  fm  v/as 
It  that  could  bring  down  fuch  heavy  judgments  on  the  Jewifh 
church. and  nation?  Can  any  other,  with  half  fo  much  probabi- 
lif.v,  be  ailigned,  as  wliat  the  fcripture  afTjgns,  their  crucifying 
the  Lord  of  glory?  As  St.  Paul  cxpreilcth  it,  i  Theff.  ii.  15, 
16.  "  They  both  killed  tlie  Lord  Jefus,  and  their  own  prophets, 
*-  and  perfecuted  the  apoffles,"  and  fo  "  filled  up  their  fms, 
''  and  wrath  came  upon  them  to  the  uttermoft."  This  is  al- 
Tvays  objefted  as  the  moft  capital  Hn  of  the  nation:  and  upon 
refie£lion^  we  fliall  find  really  fome  correfpondence  between 
their  crime  and  their  puniiliment.  They  put  Jelijs  to  death, 
when  the  nation  was  afemblcd  to  celebrate  the  pafloveri  and 

K    O    T    E     S. 

(i^  Jofephi  Vita.  $z6\.  6>'.  Contra  Apion.  Lib.  i.  Seel.  9. 

(2)  Quod  fi  quis  fervatoris  noflri  verba  ctim  iis  comparet,  qnse  ab 
ecdcm  fcnptore  dc  univerfo  l^<Jlo  commemor^ta  fiir.t,  fieri  nan  poteft 
quin  adniirctur  praefcientii;;ii  ac  prcedit^lioncm  fervatoris  nufiri,  eamquc 
vererlivinam  et  fapra  incdum  Hupendam  e/Te  fateatur.  iiufeb.  Eccicf. 
Hill.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  7. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  lot 

when  the  (3)  nation  was  alTerribled  too  to  celebrate  the  paflbver, 
Titus  fhut  them  up  wiihin  the  walls  of  JeruCalciB.     The  re- 
jection of  the  true  Mcifiah  was  their  crime;  and  following 
falfe  Mefliahs  to  their  deftrudion  v/as  their  punifl)ment.    They 
fold  and  bought  Jefus  as  a  flave;  and  they  themfclvcs  were  af- 
terwards fold  and  bought  as  flaves  at  the  ioweft  prices.     They 
preferred  a  robber  and  miUrderer  to  Jefus,  whom  they  crucified 
between  two  thieves;  and  they  themfeives  (4)  were  afterwards 
infefted  with  bands  of  thieves  and  robbers.      I  hey  put  Jefus  to 
death,  left  the  Romans  fhould  come  and  take  away  their  place 
and  nation;  and  the  Romans  did  come  and  take  away  their  place 
and  nation.  They  crucified  Jefus  before  the  wails  of  Jerufalem; 
and  before  the  walls  of  Jerufalem  they  themfeives  were  crucified 
in  fuch  numbers,  that  it  is  (5)  faid  room  was  wanting  for  the 
croiTes,  and  croifes  for  the  bodies.  I  fhould  think  it  hardly  pof- 
fible  for  any  man  to  lay  thefe  things  together,  and  not  conclude 
the  Jews'  own  imprecation  to  be  remarkably  fulfilled  upon  them, 
Matt,  xxvii.  25.  "  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children.'' 

We  Chriftians  cannot  indeed  be  guilty  of  the  very  fame  of- 
fence in  crucifying  the  Lord  of  glory:  but  it  behoves  us  to  con- 
fider,  whether  we  may  not  be  guilty  in  the  fame  kind,  and  by 
our  fins  and  iniquities,  Heb.  vi.  25.  **■  crucify  the  Son  of  God 
"  afrcfh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  ihame;"  and  therefore  whe- 
ther, bcmg  like  them  in  their  crim.e,  we  may  notalfo  refemble 
them  in  their  puniihment.  They  rejected  the  MeiTiah,  and  v/e 
indeed  have  received  him:  but  have  our  lives  been  at  all  agree- 
able to  our  holy  profedion,  or  rather  as  we  have  had  opportu- 
nities of  knowing  Chrift  more,  have  we  not  obeyed  him  lefs 
than  other  ChrifHans,  and,  Heb.  x.  29.  "  trodden  under  foot 
"  the  Son  of  God,  and  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  where- 
^*  v/ith  we  are  fan6tified,  an  unholy  thing,  and  done  defpite  un- 
^' to  the  fpirit  of  grace  r"'  The  flagrant  crim.es  of  the  Jews, 
and  the  principal  fources  of  their  calamities,  in  the  opinion  of 
(6)  Jofephus,  were  their  trampling  upon  all  human  laws,  de- 

^  {3]  Jofeph.deBell.  Jud.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  9.  Scd.  3  et  4.  Eufeb.  Hlfi. 
Uh.  3.  Cap.  5. 

(4)  Jokph.  ibid.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  4  et  13.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  S.  Lid.  4.  Cap.  3. 
Lib,  7.  Cap.  8,  Sec. 

is)  Et  propter  multitudinem  fpatium  crucibus  deerat,  et  corporibus 
cruces.     Ibid.  Lib.  5.  Cap.  11.  vSed.  i.  P.  1247, 

(6)  Et  ab  illis  quidem  omne  jus  humanum  conculcabatur.  c'iyinaau- 
tem  quseque  deridebantur,  et  prophctarum  oiacula  ut  r»rjefti^iatoriim 
commenta  fubiannabant.  Ibid.  Lib.  4-  Cap.  6.  Sed.  3.  P.  11 88.  Edit, 
Hudfjn. 


102  _  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

ndino-  divine  things,  and  making  a  jeft  of  the  oraclcs  of  the. 
prophets  as  fo  many  dreams  and  fables:  and  how  hath  the  fame 
fpirit  of  licentioufnefs  and  infidelity  prevailed  likevvife  among 
us  ?  How  have  the  laws  and  lawful  authority  been  infulted  with 
equal  infolence  and  impunity?  How  have  the  holy  fcriptures, 
thofe  treafures  of  divine  vvifdom,  not  only  been  neglected,  but 
defpifed,  derided,  and  abufed  to  the  worft  purpofes?  How  have 
the  principal  articles  of  our  faith  been  denied,  the  prophecies 
Sind  miracles  of  Mofes  and  the  prophets  of  Chrifi:  and  his  apof- 
lles  been  ridiculed,  and  impiety  and  blafphemy  not  only  been 
Vvhifpercd  in  the  ear,  but  proclaimed  from  the  profs  ?  How  hath 
all  public  worfliip  and  religion,  and  the  adminiflration  of  the 
facraments  been  flighted  and  contem^ned,  and  the  fabbath  pro- 
faned bv  thofe  chiefly  who  ought  to  fet  a  better  example,  to  whom 
much  is  given,  and  of  whom  therefore  much  will  be  required? 
and  if,  for  their  fins  and  provocations,  Rom.,  xi.  2C,  21.  "  God 
''  fpared  not  the  natural  branches,  take  heed  left  he  alfofpare  not 
*^  thee.  Becaufe  of  unbelief  they  v/ere  broken  off,  and  thou 
*'  flandefl:  by  faith.  Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear."  (jod  bore 
long  vv'ith  the  Jewi3;  and  hath  he  not  bore  long  v/ith  us  too.'' 
But  he  cut  them  ofF,  when  the  meafure  of  their  iniquities  was 
full;  and  let  us  beware  left  our  meafure  be  notalfo  v/ell  nigh 
full,  and  we  be  not  grov/ing  ripe  for  excifion.  What  v/as  faid 
to  the  church  of  Ephefus,  is  very  applicable  to  us  and  our  own 
cafe.  Rev.  ii.  5.  "  Remember  therefore  from  whence  thou  art 
"*'  fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  the  firft  works;  or  elfe  I  will  come 
•*'  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  remove  thy  candlcftick  out  of  his 
"  place,  except  thou  repent." 


THS    PROPHECIE  S.  103 


XXII. 


St.  Paul's  Prophecy  of  the  Maw  5/Sm. 


AS  our  bleiTed  Saviour  hath  cited  and  appealed  to  the  book 
of  Daniel,  fo  likewife  have  his  apoftles  drawn  from  the 
lame  fountain.  St.  Paul's  and  St.  John's  predidlons  are  in  a 
manner  the  copies  of  Daniel's  originals  with  fome  improve- 
m.ents  and  additions^  The  fame  times,  the  fame  perfons,  and 
the  fame  events  are  defcribed  by  St.  Paul  and  St.  John  as  well 
as  by  Daniel;  and  it  might,  therefore,  with  reafon,  be  expected, 
that  there  Ihould  be  fome  fimilitude  and  refemblance  in  the 
principal  features  and  characters. 

St.  Pai  1  hath  left  in  writing,  beCides  otliers,  two  moft  memo- 
rable prophecies,  both  relating  to  the  fame  fubjeCl;  the  one  con- 
cerning the  man  of  fin  ^  the  other  concerning  the  apojiacy  of  the 
latter  times  \  the  former  contained  in  the  fecond  Epiftle  to  ths 
Theffalonians,  and  the  latter  in  the  firft  Eplflle  to  Timothy. — 
The  prophecy  concerning  the  man  of fin^hzw'mg  been  delivered 
fi'rfl  in  time,  may  fitly  be  confidered  firft  in  order:  and  for  the 
fuiler  manifeftation  of  the  truth  and  exadnefs  of  this  prcdifli- 
on,  it  may  be  proper,  firft,  to  inveftigate  the  genuine  fenfe  and 
meaning  of  the  paffage :  fccondly,  to  fliow  how  it  hath  been  mif- 
taken  and  raifapplicd  by  fome  famous  commentators:  and,  third- 
ly, to  vindicate  and  eftablifli  what  we  conceive  to  be  the  only 
true  and  legitimate  application. 

I.  In  the  firft  place  it  is  proper  to  inveftigate  the  genuine 
fenfe  and   meaning  of  the   palTagev  for  a   prophecy  muft  be 

rightly  underftood,  before   it  can  be  rightly  applied. Ths 

apoftle  introduces  the  fubje£t  thus,  2  Theft',  ii.  i,  2.  "  Now  ws 
*'  befccch  you,  brethren,  by  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jefus 
"  Chrift,  and  by  our  gathering  together  unto  him,  that  ye  be 
"  not  fcon  ftiaken  in  mind,  or  be  troubled,  neither  by  fpirit, 
"  nor  by  word,  nor  by  letter  as  from  u?,  as  that  the  day  of 
"  Chrift  is  at  hand."  The  prepofitioii,  which  is  tranHated  by 
cught  rather  to  have  been  tranflated  CQnccrrih;^^  as  it  fij^nifieiJ 


o 


:i04  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  N 

( I )  in  other  places  of  fcrlpture,  and  In  other  authors^  both  Greek 
and  Latin.     Nrju  ive  bcfeecb  you^  brethren^  concerning  ihc  fj7«- 
in^  of  our   Lord  yefus  Chriji^  and  our  gathering  together  unto 
him.     For  he  doth  not  befeech  them  by  the  coming  of  Chriil:, 
but  the  coming  of  Chrift  is  the  fubjefl:  of  which  he  is  treating; 
and  it  is  in  relation  to  this  fubjetSt,  that  he  djfires  them  not  t(> 
be  diflurbed  or  affrighted,  neither  by  revelation,  nor  hy  mcf- 
fage,  nor  by  letter,  as  from  him,  as  if  the  day  of  Chri/l's  com- 
ing  was  at  hand.     The   phrafes   of  ths  co?ning  of  Chriji^  and 
the  day  of  Chrijl^  may  be  under ftood  either  figuratively  of  his 
coming  in  judgment  upon  the   Jews,  or  literally  of  his  com- 
in2;  in  glory  to  judge  the  world.     Sometimes,  indeed,  they  are 
ufed  in  the  former  fenfe,  but  they  are  more  generally  em- 
ployed  in  the  latter,  by  the   writers  of  the  New  Teftament : 
and  the  latter  is  the  proper  fignification  in  this  place,  as  the 
context  will   evince  beyond  contradiction.     St.  Paul  himfelf 
had  planted  the  church  in   ThelTalonica;  and  it  confifted  prin- 
cipally of  converts  from  among  the   Gentile  idolaters,  becaufe 
it  is  faid,   i  ThelT.  i.  9.  that  they  "  turned  unto   God  from 
"  idols,  to  ferve  the  living  and  true  God."    What  occafion  was 
there  therefore  to  admoniih  them  partictdarly  of  the  defLrucStion 
of  Jerufalem  ?  Or  (2)  why  fhould  they  be  under  fuch  agitations 
and  terrors  upon  that  account?     What  connecSlion  had  Mace- 
donia with  Judea,  or  ThelTalonica  with  Jerufalem?     What 
Ihare  were  the  Chriftian  converts  to  have  in  the  calamities  of 
the  rebellious  and  unbelieving  Jews;  and  why  fhould  they  not 
rather  have  been  comforted  than  troubled  at  the  punifhment  of 
their  inveterate  enemies?     Befidcs,  (3)  how  could  the  apoftle 
deny  that  the  deftrdilion  of  the  Jews  was  at  hand,  when  it  v/as 
at  hand,  as  he  faith  himfelf,  i  TheH*.  ii.  16.  and  "  the  wrath  is 
'*  come  upon  them  to  the  uttermoft?"     He  knew,  and  they 

NOTES. 

(i)  So  it  is  rendered,  Rom.  ix.  27.  "  FJaias  alfo  crieth  concerning 
Ifrael."  See  iiicewire  z  Cor.  i.  7.  viiJ.  a,^,  24,  &c.  Galen,  Lib.  T.  ad 
Glauc.  deomn-.bus  fcribere  non  datur.  Virgil  iEn.  I.  750.  Multa  Ta- 
per Pri.imo  rogltans,  fiiper  He<5lore  raalta.  ^  ^ . 

(2)  Atquis  huic  terrori  locus,  fi  de  Judaeorum  excidio  agebatur? — > 
Quid  Macedoni?e  cum  Judsea,  ThclTal.  cum  Ilicrof.  ?  quod  eommune 
Cliriflianis  cum  periculo  rcbellium  Judaeoruni?  ^c  Simplicius  in  PoH 
Synor'T 

(3)  Ptceterea,  quo  jure  potefl  apoftolus  inficiari,  Judaeorum  cxcidU 
um  imminerc,  cum  rcipfa  jam  adeflet ;  uti  liquet  ex  prioiis  eplIlolER, 
Cap.  z.vcil".  r6.  Uocharti  Examen  libelii  de  Antichrifto.  Tom.  *, 
Cu!.  1049- 


I'  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  id5 

knew,  for  our  Saviour  had  declared,  that  the  dcftru6>ion  of  Jc- 
rufalem  would  come  to  pafs  in  that  generation :  and  what  a  ri- 
diculous comfort  muft  it  be  to  tell  them,  that  it  would  not  hap- 
pen immediately,  but  would  be  accomplifhcd  within  kfs  than 
twenty  years  ? 

The  phrafes,  therefore^  ol the  coming  of  Chriji  and  the  day  of 
Chrift  cannot,  in  this  place,  relate  to  the  deHrufclion  of  Jerufa- 
lem,  but  muft  nccelfarily  be  taken  in  the  more  general  accep- 
tation of  his  coming  to  judge  the  world.  So  the  phrafe  is  con- 
llantly  ufed  in  the  former  Epiftle.  In  one  place  the  Apoftle 
faith,  ii»  19^  *'  What  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicino-  ? 
"Are  not  even  ye  in  the  preience  of  our  Lordjefus  Chrlit 
"  at  his  coming?'*  In  another  place  he  wifheth,  iii.  13^  that 
*'  the  Lord  may  eftablifh  their  hearts  unblameablc  in  holinefs 
"  before  God,  even  our  Father,  at  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Je- 
"  fus  Chrill  with  all  his  faints:"  And  in  a  third  place  he  pray- 
eth,  V.  23,  that  "  their  whole  fpirit,  and  foul,  and  body  be  pre- 
*'  fcrved  blamelefs  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jefis  Chrill:.'* 
Thefe  texts  evidently  refer  to  the  general  judgment:  and  if  thd 
phrafe  be  conftantly  fo  employed  in  the  former  EpitUe,  why 
fhould  it  not  be  taken  after  the  fame  manner  in  this  Epiftle?  — 
In  the  former  Epiftle  the  Apoftle  had  exhorted  the  Theffaloni- 
ans  to  moderate  forrov/  for  the  dead  by  the  confideration  of  the 
refurre^tion  and  the  general  judgment,  iv.  13,  5cc.  "  I  v/ould 
"  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  them  which 
"  arc  afieep,  that  ye  forrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have  na 
"  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jcfus  died,  and  roic  aQ:ain,  even 
"  fo  them  alfo  which  fleep  in  Jefus,  will  God  brin-^  with  him, 
"  For  this  we  fay  unto  you,  by  tlie  word  of  the  Lord,  that  we 
"  which  are  alive,  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
*'  ftiall  not  prevent  them  which  are  alleep.  For  the  Lord  him- 
"  felf  ihail  defcend  from  heaven  with  a  Ihout,  with  the  voice  of 
"  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God:  and  the  dead  in 
"  Chrift  lliail  rife  firft.  Then  we  which  are  alive,  and  remain, 
"  Ihall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet 
"  the  Lord  in  the  air:  and  fo  fnall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord 
"  But  of  the  times  and  the  feafons"  of  thefe  things,  as  he  pro- 
ceeds, v.  r,  2.  "  brethen,  ye  have  no  need  that  I  write  unto 
"  you.  For  yourfelves  know  perfectly  tliat  the  dav  of  the 
"  Lord  fo  Cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night."  Some  perfons  hav- 
ing miftakcn  the  apoftle's  meaning-,   and  haviriP;  inferred  from 

Vol.  IL  O  ^' 


io6  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

fbme  of  thefe  exprefTions,  that  the  end  of  the  world  was  now 
approaching,  and  the  day  of  Chrin:  was  nov/  at  hand,  the  Apof- 
tlc  fctS  himfclf  in  this  pldce  to  retStify  that  miHaken  notion:  and 
it  is  with  reference   to  this  coming  of  Chr'ijl — to  this  day  of  the 
Lord— to  this  our  gathering   together  unto   him  in  the  clouds  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  that  he  befecches  the  Theffalonians 
not  to  be  (haken  from  their  ftedfaftnefs,  nor  to  be  troubled  and 
terrified,  as  if  it  was  now  at  hand.     Nothing  then  can  be  more 
evident  and  undeniable,  than  that  the  coming  of  Chrift  here 
intended  is  his  fecond   coming  in  glory  to  judge   the  world: 
r.nd  of  this  his  fecond  coming  the  apoftle  had  fpoken  before,  ia 
this  fame  epiftle,  and  in  the  chapter  before  this,  verfes  6,  7,  85 
9,  10.     "  It  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  recompenfe  tri- 
"  bulation  to  them  that  trouble  you:  And  to  you  who  are  trou- 
"  bled,  reft  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jefus  fhall  be  revealed 
"  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  takini^ 
"  vengeance  on  them  that  knov/  not  God,  and  that  obey  not 
"  the  gofpel  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift:  Who  ftiall  be  puniftied 
"  wi:h  everlafting  deftrucftion  from  the  prefence  of  the  Lord', 
"  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power;  when  he  fliall  come  to  be 
"  glorified  In  his  faints,  and  to  be  admired  in  ail  them  that  be- 
"  lieve  in  that  day." 

It  v/as  a  point  of  great  importance  for  the  Theffalonians 
not  to  be  miftaken  in  this  particular;  becaufe  if  they  were 
taught  to  believe  that  the  coming  of  Chrift  was  at  hand,  and 
he  (hould  not  come  according  to  their  expeilation,  they  might 
be  ftaggcred  in  tlieir  faith,  and  finding  part  of  their  creed  to  be 
fcilfe,  might  be  hafty  enough  to  conclude  that  the  whole  was  fo. 
Where,  by  tlie  way,  we  may  obferve  Mr.  Gibbon's  want  of 
judgment,  ailigning  the  notion  of  Chnil's  coming  fpeedily  as 
one  of  the  great  caufes  of  the  growth  and  increafe  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  Church,  when  it  appears  from  this  palTage  that  it  had  a 
contrary  efFccI:,   and  tended  to /bake  and  unfettle   their  minds, 
and  to  diiturb   and  trouble  inilead  of  inviting   and   engaging 
them.     Tlie  apoftle,  therefore,  cautions  them  in  the  ftrongeft 
manner  againft  this  delufion;  and  affures  them  that  other  me- 
morable events  will  take  place  before  the  coming  of  our  Lord, 
vcrf.  3  and  4.     "  Let  no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means:  for 
''  diat  day  Ihall  not  come,  except  their  come  a  falling  away 
*'  firft,  and  that  Man  of  Sin  be  revealed,  the  Son  of  Perdition; 
«  wlio  oppofeih  and  exalteth  himfelf  above  all  that  is  called 
that  is  worihipped;  fo  that  he,  as  God,  fiitcth  in 


THE    PROPHECIES.  T07 

'^  the  temple  of  God,  fhewing  himfjif  that  he  is  God."  The 
day  of  Chriil  fhall  not  come,  except  there  come  the  apojiafy 
jirjl.  The  apoftafy  here  delcribed  is  plainly  not  a  of  civil,  but 
of  a  rehgioi^s  nature  ;  not  a  revolt  from  the  government,  but 
a  defection  from  the  true  religion  and  worfhip,  "  a  departing 
*'  from  the  faith,"  i  Tim.  iv.  i.  "  a  departing  from  the  living 
«  God,"  Heb.  iii.  12.  as  the  word  is  ufed  by  the  apoflle  in 
other  places.  In  the  original  it  is  the  apoftafy^  with  an  article 
to  give  it  an  emphaOs.  The  article  being  added,  as  Erafmus 
(4)  remarks,  figniiies  that  famous  and  before  predicted  apollafv. 
So  likewife  it  is,  in  the  Greek,  the  man  offtn^  with  the  like  ar- 
ticle and  the  like  emphafis:  and  St.  (5)  Ambrofe,  that  he  might 
exprefs  the  force  of  the  article,  hath  renderi^d  it  that  man^  as 
have  likewife  our  Engliih  tranflators.  If  then  the  notion  of 
the  man  of  fin  be  derived  from  any  ancient  proohct,  it  muft 
oe  derived  from  Daniel,  who  hath.defcribed  the  like  arrogant 
and  tyrannical  power :  vii.  25.  "  He  iliall  fpeak  great  v/ords 
"  againft  the  moft  High,  and  fliall  wear  out  the  faints  of  the 
*'  moft  High,  and  think  to  change  times  and  laws:"  and  aoain, 
xi.  36.  "  The  king  fhall  do  according  to  his  will  and  helhall 
"  exalt  himfelf,  and  magnify  himfelf  above  every  God,  and 
"  fhall  fpeak  marvellous  things  againft  the  God  of  Gods," 
Any  man  may  be  fatisfied,  that  St.  Paul  alluded  to  this  defcrip- 
tion  by  Daniel,  becaufe  he  hath  not  only  borrowed  the  ideas, 
but  hath  even  adopted  fome  of  the  phraf^^s  and  exprefTions. 
The  man  off.n  may  iignify  either  a  fmgle  man,  or  a  fuccefnon 
of  men.  A  fuccelTion  of  men  being  m.eant  in  Daniel,  it  is 
probable,  that  the  fame  was  intended  here  alfo.  It  is  the  more 
probable,  becaufe  a  fmgle  man  appears  hardly  fufficient  for  the 
work  here  afTigned  :  and  it  is  agreeable  to  the  phrafeolo2:y  of 
f:ripture,  and  eipecialiy  to  that  of  the  prophets,  to  fpeak  of  a 
body  or  a  number  of  men  under  the  character  of  one.  Thus 
a  khig^  Dan.  vii.  viii.  Rev.  xvii.  is  often  ufed  for  the  fucoef- 
fion  of  kings,  and  the  high  pricjis^  Hebr.  \\.  7.  25.  for  the  fe- 
xies  and  order  of  high  priefts.  A  fmgle  bcaft  Dan.  vii. 
yiii.  Rev.  xiii.  often  reprelcnts  a  whole  empire  or  kingdom  in  all 
its  changes  and  revolutions  from  the  beginni]ig  to  the  end. 
The  ^'  woman  cloathed  with  the  fun,"  Rev"  xii.  i.  is  defigned 


NOTE 


U)  Articulus  addittis  fignihcat  infignem  illam  et  ante  rrsdid:ani 
defr-iJlionem.     Erafm.  in  locnm, 

(5)  D.  Ambrofius,  ut  explicaret  vim  artlcalij  ler^it  homo  ille,  &c. 
Eraim.  ibid. 


io8  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  N 

as  an  emblem  of  the  true  church  ;  as  the  ^'  woman  arrayed  in 
"  pur.le  aiid  fcarlct."  Rev.  xvii.  4.  is  the  portrait  of  a  corrupt 
communion.  No  commentator  ever  conceived  the  vjhore  of 
Babylon  to  be  meant  of  a  fingle  woman :  and  why  then  fhouJd 
the  fnan  of  fin  be  taken  for  a  fmgle  man  ?  The  man  0}  fin  feem-. 
eth  to  be  exprcfled  from  'Daniel,  vii.  24.  according  to  the 
Greek  tranflation,  he  Jhall  exceed  in  evil  all  who  went  before 
him:  and  he  may  fulfil  the  character  either  hv  promoting  wick- 
cdnefs  in  general,  or  by  advancing  idolatry  in  particular,  as  the 
wordyFw  frequently  (ignifies  in  fcripture.  The  f on  ofpr?rdition  is 
alio  tne  denomination  of  the  traitor  Judas,  John  xviii.  12.  v/hich 
implies  that  the  man  of  fin  fhould  be,  like  Judas,  a  falfe  apoftle, 
like  him  betray  Chrilt,  and  like  him  be  devoted  to  dell ru8 ion, 
IVho  oppofeth  and  exaJteth  himfelj  above  cdl  that  is  called  God,  or 
that  is  zvorjbippcd:  this  is  manifeftly  copied  from  Daniel,  He 
Jljall  exalt  himfelf  and  magnify  hiirf elf  above  every  God^  andfpeak 
marvellous  things  againjl  the  God  of  Gods.  The  features,  you 
fee,  exactly  refemble  each  other.  He  oppofeth  and  exalteth  him- 
felf above  all^  in  the  Greek  above  every  one,  that  is  called 
God  or  that  is  worfhipped^  alluding  to  the  title  of  the  Roman  em- 
perors, augifi  or  venerable, ,  He  ihall  oppofe,  for  the  prophets 
ipeak  of  things  future  as  prefent ;  he  ihall  oppofe,  and  exalt 
himfelf  not  only  above  inferior  magiftrates,  who  are  fometimes 
called  Gods  in  holy  writ,  but  e\'en  above  the  greateft  emperors, 
and  fhaJl  arrogate  to  hirnfcif  divine  honors.  80  that  he  as  God 
flit  eth  in  the  temple  ofGod^foewing  hirnfelf  that  he  is  God :  By 
the  t£?nple  of  Gody  the  apolile  could  not  well  mean  the  temple 
at  Jerufalem,  becaufe  that  he  knev/  very  well  would  be  totally 
dei'croyed  within  af?w  years.  It  is  an  obitrvation  of  the  learn- 
ed Bochart,  that  (6)  after  the  death  of  Chrift  the  temple  at  Je- 
rufalem  is  never  called  by  the  apoftles  the  temple  of  God : 
and  if  at  any  time  they  make  mention  of  the  hoife  or  te?nple  of 
Gody  they  mean  the  church  in  general,  or  every  particular  be- 
liever. It  is  ccnaiu  the  temple  or  houfe  of  God  is  the  Chriftinn 
church  in  the  ufual  itiie  of  the  apollles.  '  St.  Paul  thus  addreff- 
eth  the  Corinthians  in  his  firft  epiitle,  iii.  16.  17.  "  Know 
^  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  fpirit  of 

h    O    T   E. 

(6)  Verum  ^  Clirifti  ol-iiiu  tempium  Hiercfoly  raitanum  nunquam  ?.h 
apoflolis  templuMi  Dei  vciur;  et  fi  quando  de  Dti  sede  vel  templo 
fcimonem  habe.mt,  mm  v^l  -rccJefiam  in  p,fnere,  vel  (in}?ularein  quenj- 
qat  fidckni,  iis  vocibub  inielleciavolunt.  Bocliarii.  Bxarncri  Li'jeili  dc 
AntichriJdo.  Tom.  a.  Col.  X47, 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  109 

"  God  dwelleth  in  you  ?  If  any  man  defile  the  temple  of  God, 
"  him  fhall  God  deftroy :  for  the  temple  of  God  is  holy, 
"  which  temple  ye  are  :"  dnd  thus  again  in  his  fecond  Epiftle, 
vi.  16.  ''  What  agreement  hath  the  temple  of  God  with  Idols  ? 
''  for  ve  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God."  He  advifed  Tim- 
othy, I  Tim.  iii.  15.  "how  he  ought  to  beha\  e  himfelf  in 
"  the  houfe  of  God,  which  is  the  church  of  the  living  God, 
"  as  a  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth.''  St.  John  alfo  writcth 
thus  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia,  Rev.  iii.  12. 
"  Him  that  oVercometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of 
"  my  God.'*  Thefe  few  examples  out  of  many  are  fufHcient 
to  prove,  that  under  the  gofpel  difpenfation  the  temple  of  God 
is  the  church  of  Chrift :  and  the  man  of  fin's  Jitthig  implies 
his  ruling  and  prefiding  there,  and  fitting  there  as  God  implies 
Jiis  claiming  divine  authority  in  things  fpirJtual  as  well  as  tem- 
poral, 2ind  JJjoiving  himfelf  that  he  is  God  iiiiplies  his  doing  it 
with  great  pride  and  pomp,  with  great  parade  and  oilentation. 

Thefe  things  were  not  alferted  now  merely  to  ferve  the  pre- 
fent  occafion.  The  apoftle  had  inhfted  upon  thefe  topics, 
while  he  v/as  at  Theiialonica:  fo  that  he  thought  it  a  part  of 
his  dut)',  as  he  made  it  a  part  of  his  preaching  and  dod:rine,  to 
forewarn  his  n^w  converts  of  the  grand  apoftafy  that  would  in- 
feft  the  church,  verf.  5^  6,  7.  "  Remember  ye  not,  that  when  I 
*'  was  yet  with  you,  I  told  you  thefe  things?  And  now  ye 
'^  know  what  withholdeth,  that  he  might  be  revealed  in.  his 
"  time.  For  the  myftery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work  :  only 
"  he  who  now  letteth,  will  let  until  he  be  taken  out  ol  the 
«  way." 

The  man  of  fin,  therefore,  v/aS  not  then  revealed.  His  ti-me 
was  not  yet  cOme,  or  the  feafon  for  his  manifeftation.  The 
myjiery  of  iniquity  was  indeed  already  working:  for  there  is  a 
myftery  of  iniquity  .^  as  well  as  a  my  ft  cry  of  Godlinefs.^  i  Tim.  iii. 
16.  the  one  in  direct  oppofition  to  the  other.  The  feeds  of 
corruption  were  fown,  but  they  were  not  yet  grown  up  to  any 
maturity.  The  leven  was  fermenting  in  fome  parts,  but  it 
was  far  from  having  yet  infected  the  whole  m.afs.  The  7nan  of 
fin  was  yet  hardly  conceiv'ed  in  the  womb;  it  maift  be  fome 
time  before  he  could  be  brought  forth.  There  was  fomie  ob- 
flacle  that  hindred  his  appearance,  the  apoftle  fpeaketh  doubt- 
fully whether  thing  or  perfon  ;  and  tliis  obft^cle  would  contin- 
ue to  hinder,  till  it  was  taken  out  of  the  way.  What  this  was 
we  cannot  determine  with  abfolute  certainty  at  fo  great  a  dif- 


no  DIS  SER  T  ATION  ON 

tance  of  time ;  but  if  we  may  rely  upon  the  concurrent  tzM- 
monics  of  the  fathers,  it  was  the  Roman  empire.  Moft  pro- 
bably it  was  fomewhat  relating  to  the  higher  powers,  becaufe 
the  apoftle  obferves  fuch  caution.  He  mentioned  it  in  dif- 
courfe,  but  would  not  commit  it  to  writing.  He  afterwards 
exhorts  the  Theflalonians,  verf.  15.  "  Brethren,  ftand  faft,  and 
«  hold  the  traditions  which  ye  have  been  taught,  whether  by 
<'  word,  or  our  epiftie."  This  was  one  of  the  traditions  which 
he  thought  more  proper  to  teach  by  word  than  by  epiftle. 

When  this  obftacle  fhall  be  reir.oved,  "  then,"  as  the  apoftle 
proceeds,  verf.   8.    "  fhall  that  wicked  be  revealed,  whom  the 
"  Lord  ihail  confume  with  the  fpirit  of  his  mouth,  and  {hall 
"  deliroy  with  the  brightnefs  of  his  coming."    Nothing  can 
be  plainer  than  that  the  lawlefs,  the  ivicked  one  here  mentioned, 
and  the  man  ofjin^  muft  be  one  and  the  fame  perfon.     The 
apoflle  was  fpeaking   before  of  what  hindr  that  he  fliould  be 
revealed,  and  would  continue  to  hindered,  until  it  v/as  taken  out 
of  the  way:  And  then  foaii  the  vi^icked  one  Z*^  revealedyivhoni 
the  Lordjhall  confume^  &c.     Not  that  he  fliouId   be  confumed 
immediately  after  he  v/as  revealed  j  but  the  apoftle,  to  comfort 
the  Theilalonians,  nofooner  mentions  his  revelation,   than  he 
foretels  alfo  his  deftru6lion,  even  before  he  defcribes  his  other 
qualifications.     His  other  qualifications  fliould  have  been  defcri- 
bed  firft  in  order  of  time,  but  the  apoflle  haftens  to  what  was 
firfl:  and  warmeft  in  his  thoughts  and  wiflies.     Whcm  the  Lord 
Jhall  confiwie  with  the  fpirit  of  his  ?nouth^  and  JJ)all  deftroy  zuith 
the  brightnefs  of  his  C6?ning.     If  thefe   tv/o  claufes  refer   to  tv.'O 
diftin^l  and  different  events,  the  meaning  manifeftly  is,  that  the 
Lord  Jefus  fhall  gradually  confume  him  with   the  free  preach- 
ing and  publication  of  his  word,  and  fhall   utterly   deilroy  him 
at  his  fecond  coming  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with   the  holy 
angels.     If  thefe  tv/o  claufes  relate  to  one  and  the  fame  event, 
it  is  a  pleonafm  that  is  very  ufual  in  the  facred  as  well  as  in  all 
oriental  writings ;  and  the    purport   plainly   is,   that  the   Lord 
Jefus  fhall  deftroy  him  with  tlie  greateft:  facilitv,  when   he  fnall 
be  revealed  from  heaven  (as  the  apoftle  hath  exprclfed  it  in  the 
preceding  chapter)  with  his  mighty  angels^  in  flaming  fir  e^  taking 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God-,  and  that  obey  not  the  gofpel 
of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrijl. 

The  apoftle  was  eager  to  foretcl  the  deftruction  of  the  man 
of  fm  J  and  for  this  purpofe  having  broken  in  upon  his  fubjecl^ 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  Ill 

he  now  returns  to  it  again,  and  defcribes  the  other  qualificati- 
ons, by  which  this  wicked  one  fhould  advance  and  eftablifh  him- 
felf  in  the  world.     He  (hould  rife  to  credit  and  authority  by  the 
moft  diabolical  methods,  fhould  pretend  to  fupernatural  powers, 
and  boaft  of  revelations,  vifions,  and  miracles,  falfe  in  them- 
felves,  and  applied  to  promote  falfe  dodrines,  verf.  9.  "  Whofe 
"  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Satan,  with  all  power,  and 
"  figns,  and  lying  wonders."     He  fhould  likevi^ife  practife  all 
other  wicked  arts  of  deceit,  fhould  be  guilty  of  the  moft  impi- 
ous frauds  and  impofitions  upon  mankind;  but  Ihould  prevail 
only  among  thofe  who  are  deftitute  of  a  flncere  afFedion  for 
the  truth,  v/hereby  they  might  obtain  eternal  falvation,  verf.  10, 
"  And  v/ith  all  deceivablencfs  of  unrighteoufnefs,  in  them  that 
"  perifh;  becaufc  they  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that 
«  they  might  be  faved.'*     And,  indeed,  it  is  a  juft  and  righte- 
ous judgment  of  God,  to  give  the7n  over  to  vanities  and  lies  in 
this  world,  and  to  condemnation  in  the  next,  who  have  no  re- 
gard for  truth  and  virtue,  but  delight  in  falfehood  and  wicked- 
ntfs,  verf  11   and   12.     "  And  for  this  caufe  God  fnall  fend 
"them  ftrong  delufion,  that  they  fhould  believe  a  lie:  That 
"  they  all  might  be  damned,  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had 
"  pleafure  in  unrighteoufnefs.'* 

II.  Upon  this  lurvey  there  appears  little  room  to  doubt  of  the 
genuine  fenfc  and  meaning  of  the  paflage:  but  it  hath  ftranc-e- 
ly  been  miflaken  and  mifapplied  by  fome  famous  comm.entator?, 
though  more  agree  in  the  interpretation  than  in  the  application 
of  this  prophecy. 

I.  Excellently  learned  as  Grotius  was,  a  confummate  fcho- 
lar,  a  judicious  critic,  a  valuable  author;  yet  was  he  centainlv 
no  prophet,  nor  fon  of  a  prophet.  In  explaining  the  prophe- 
cies, fcarcely  have  more  mifbkes  been  committed  by  any  of 
the  worfl  ajid  weakcfl  commentators,  than  by  him  who  is  ufu- 
ally  one  of  the  befl  and  ableft.  He  underflands  this  prophecy 
of  the  times  preceding  the  deflruilion  of  Jerufalem.  The  man 
^fP^  (7)  v^'^s  the  Roman  emperor  Caligula,  who  did  not  at  iirft 

NOTE. 

{7)  Denn.det  ingenium  funm  Caius.— Sic  et  Calus  omnibus  fe  Diis 
gentium  prsetulit,  etiam  Jovi  Olympio  et  Capitolino.— Rej^e  autem  di- 
citurCaius  femet  pofuifie  in  tempio  Del,  quia  fimulacrum  fuumibi  col- 
iocari  juffit.— L.  Vitellius,  cum  Paulus  ifta  diceret,  et  hose  fcriberet. — 
Synam  et  Judasam  tenebat,  vir  apud  Judssos  gratoifus,  et  magnis  exer- 
citibus  imperans,^cui  propterea  facile  fuifler,  fi  tarn  graviter  Judasoruni 
P-nmios  exafpeiailvt  Caius,  eorum  tutelani  fufcipere  ct  provinciani  fui 


113  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

^Ifcovcr  his  wicked  difpofition.  He  vainly  preferred  himlelf 
before  all  the  Gods  of  the  natioft,  even  before  Jupiter  Olym- 
pius  and  Capitolinas;  and  ordered  his  ftatue  to  be  fet  up  in 
the  temple  at  Jeruialem.  He  was  hindered  from  difcloling 
and  exercifing  his  intended  malice  agalnii  the  Jev/s,  by  his  awe 
of  Vitellius,  who  v/as  at  that  time  governor  of  Syria  and 
Judea,  and  was  as  powerful  as  he  v/as  beloved  in  thofe  pro- 
vinces, "What  follows,  Grotius  could  not,  by  any  means,  ac^ 
commodate  to  Caligula,  and  therefore  fubilitutes  anotherj  and 
fuppofcs  that  the  vjickcd  one  v/as  Simon  Magus,  who  w^as  re- 
vealed and  came  to  Rome  foon  after  the  beo:innin^  of  the  reign 
of  Claudius.  He  was  there  baflied  and  diigraced  by  St.  Peter; 
but  Chrift  may  v/ell  be  faid  to  have  done  what  was  done  by 
Peter.  He  pretended  alfo  to  work  great  miracles,  and  by  his 
magical  illufions  deceived  many,  the  Samaritans  firft,  and  after^ 
wards  the  Romans.  But  in  aniwer,  it  may  be  obferved,  that 
this  EpilHe  of  St.  Paul,  as  (8)  all  other  good  critics  and  chrono- 
logers  agree,  and  as  is  evident,  indeed,  from  hlilory,  was  writ- 
ten in  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  Claudius,  v/ho  v/as  fuccef-* 
for  to  Caligula:  and  if  fo,  the  apoftle,  according  to  this  inter- 
pretation, is  here  prophecying  of  things  which  were  pail  already. 
The  coming  cf  CbriJ}^  as  it  hath  been  before  proved  undeniably^ 
relates  to  a  more  diftant  period  than  the  dellruCtion  of  Jerufa- 
lem.  Befides,  hQW  could  Caligula,  with  any  tolerable  (tw^e 
snd  meaning,  be  called  an  apcjiate  .from  either  the  Jewifh  or 
the  Chriftian  religion?  He  never  fit  in  the  temple  of  God\  he 
commanded,  indeed,  his  ftatue  to  be  placed  there,  but  was  dif- 
fuaded  from  his  purpofe,  as  (9)  Philo  teftifies,  by  the  intreaties 
of  king  Agrippa,  and  fent  an  order  to  Petronius,  governor  of 
Syria,  not  to  make  any  innovation  in  the  temple  of  the  Jews* 
He  was  fo  far  from  being  kept  in  awe  oy  the  virtues  of  Vitel- 
lius, that  Vitellius,  on  the  contrary,  was  a  moft  fordid  adulator,  as 

NOTES. 

facere  juris.  Ideo  Caius»  antequam  propodtum  exfequeretur  tempus 
exfpe»riabat  quo  L.  Vitellius  et  provincia  decederet. —  Kc>5ie  autem  im- 
pius  dicitur  Simon  Map;us,  qui  paulo  poft  initia  Claudiani  principalis 
Roiiiam  venit.— Bone  autem  dicitur  Chriftus  fcccfle  quod  fecit  per  Pe- 
trum — Ofteniia  iila  et  prodigia  Sirjonis  raagica,  &c. — Decipiuntur  ab 
CO  hominis  male  pcrituri.  Inteliigit  Samaritas  primum,  dcinde  tt  Ro- 
manos.     Vide  Grot.  In  locum  et  de  Antlchrifto. 

{%)  Pearfonii  Annales  Paullni,  P.  13.  Sa:n.  Bafnagii  Annales,  A.  D, 
5 1.  Seel.  74.  A.  D-  i  2.  Seel.  1 1.  Whitby  Pief.  Calinet.  Pref.  &c.  &c. 

['))  Philo  de  Legations  ad  Caiani.  Nequid  in  JuJa'-orum  temple  no- 
varst,  P.  1058.    Edit.  Paris.  1640. 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  113 

botli  (i)  Tacitus  and  Suetonius  exprcflyallirm;  and  Inflead  of 

retraining  Caligula  from  affecting  divine  honors,  he  was  the 
firft  who  incited  him  to  it.  Moreover  it  is  doing  the  grcatclt 
violence  to  the  context,  to  make  the  ?nan  of  fin^  and  the  wicked 
^ne^  two  diftinc^  peribns,  when  they  are  lo  manifeilly  one  and 
the  fame, 

Tlie  Gontell  between  St.  Peter  and  Simon  Magus  at  Rome, 
if  ever  it  happened  at  all,  did  not  happen  in  the  reign  of  Clau- 
dius; hut  moit  probable  there  never  was  any  fuch  tranfacftion; 
the  whole  flory  is  palpably  a  fabulous  legend,  andconfequently 
can  be  no  foundation  for  a  true  expofition  of  any  prophecy. — ■ 
Vv'^here  too  is  the  confiftency  and  propriety  in  interpreting  the 
icu,f^hxg  of  Chriji  in  verf  I.  of  the  dcftruclion  of  Jerufilem,  and 
in  verf  8.  of  the  deltrudion  of  Simon  Magus,  though  Simoi\ 
Magus  was  not  deflroyed,  but  was  only  thrown  out  of  his  cha- 
not,  and  his  leg  broken  in  the  fall  ?  Thefe  are  fome  of  the  ab- 
furditics  \vi  Grotlus's  interpretation  and  application  of  this  pro- 
phecv,  which  you  may  fee  more  largely  expofed  and  refuted  by 
(2)  Bochart  among  the  foreign,  and  by  Dr.  Henry  Moi*e  a- 
mong  our  EnglijQi  writers. 

2.  Dr.  Hammond  is  every  where  full  of  Simon  Magus  ^x'A 
the  Gnoftics,  fo  that  it  is  the  lefs  to  be  wondered  that  he  fhoulJ 
introduce  them  upon  this  occafion,  and  apply  this  whole  pro- 
phecy to  them,  wherein  he  is  more  coniiftent  than  Grorius, 
who  applies  part  to  Simon  Magus,  and  part  to  Caligula.  The 
apojlajy^  (3)  according  to  him,  was  a  great  departure  or  de- 
fection from  the  f  lith  to  the  herefy  of  the  Gnoflics.  Tk^  man 
<^ffi>^->  and  the  wicked  one  was  Simon  Magus,  t'nat  v/icked  im- 
poiior,  together  with  his  followers  the  Gnofrics.  What  hin- 
dered their  fhowi ng  themfelves  and  making  open  profellion  01 
thck  hoftility  a2;ainfl  the  orthodox  Chriftians,  was  the  apof- 
tlcfs  not  having  yet  given  over  prtaching  to  the  Jt^vvs,  and 
tuning  to  the  Gentiles,  This  fame  magician  oppoied  hiinfeif 
^iinit  ChriO,  fetting  himfelf  up  for  the  chief  or  hril:  C^od, 
fuperior  to  all  other  Gods;  and  accordingly  was  publicly 
worfhipped  by  the   Samaritans   and  others,  and   had  a   iLitu^ 

Vol.  II.    '  P 

VOTES. 

(  I }  Exemplar  apiid  pofteroe  adui-'tarii  dedecoris  habotur.  Tacit-  An- 
rj:il.  Lib.  6,  P.  71.  Edir.  Lipfii.  Idemnfiriin  adulandolngenii,  primus 
C.  C«f-ivem  adorari  ut  Deuni  inilituit.  Suet,  in  Viteilio.  Sed.  -;. 

{'i)  Rocharti  Examen  Libelil  de  Antichrifto.  Op.  Tom.  a  Cob  10/4 
—  !o-i.     Mort's  Mvfteryot  Iniqaitv*  Part  2,  Book  2,  Chap,  ao, 

\  .3 )  See  llammotid's  Paiaphiafc  and  Aiiuouiiwns. 


114  DISSERTATIONS  on 

creeled  to  him  at  Rome  by  the  emperor  Claudius.  Him  Chri{f 
dcilroycd  in  an  extraordinary  manner  by  the  preaching  and 
miracles  of  St.  Peter;  and  all  the  apoftatizing  Gnoftics  whc> 
adhered  to  him,  were  involved  in  the  deilru(3[ion  of  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews,  with  whom  they  had  joined  againil  the  Chrif- 
tians.  But  the  principal  objection  to  this  expofition  is  the 
fame  as  to  that  of  Grotius,  that  the  apoftle  is  here  made  to 
foretel  things  after  the  events.  Simon  A4agus  was  already  re- 
vealed, Acts  viii.  9,  10.  "  and  had  bewitched  the  people  of 
"  Samaria,  giving  out  that  himfclf  was  fome  great  one:  To 
"  whom  they  all  gave  heed  from  the  leaft  to  the  greateft,  fay- 
*'  ing,  This  man  is  the  great  power  of  God.**  Dr.  Hammond 
himielf  contends,  that  Simon  came  to  Rome  and  was  there 
honored  as  Crod,  at  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Claudius; 
but  this  EpifUc  was  written  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fame  reign, 
and  even,  the  Do6^or,  m  (4)  another  place,  confefieth  it.  ThQ 
apoftles  too  had  already  turned  from  the  Jews  to  the  Gentiles, 
— Paul  and  Barnabas  had  declared  to  the  Jews  at  Antioch,  ijv 
Pifidia,  A(5ls  xiii.  46.  "  It  was  neceflary  that  the  word  of  God 
"  fliould  flrft  have  been  fpoken  to  you;  but  feeing  ye  put  it 
"  from  you,  and  jud^e  yourfelves  unworthy  of  everlafting  life, 
"  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.**  But  this  tranfaftion  was  before 
the  E  pi  file  was  written,  and,  indeed,  before  ever  Paul  went  to 
ThcflalonicTa.  As  part  of  the  fac^s  here  predicted  as  future 
were  already  paft,  fo  the  other  part  arc  manifeftly  falfe,  or  of" 
uncertain  credit  at  befl:.  The  ftatiie  erccled  to  Simon  Magus» 
at  Rome,  nnd  his  public  defeat  there  by  the  preaching  and  mi- 
racles of  St.  Peter,  in  the  prefcnce  of  the  em.peror,  are  no  bet- 
ter than  fables.  Even  Papifls  doubt  the  truth  of  thefe  things, 
and  well  may  others  deny  it.  Simon  Magus  might,  perhaps, 
have  many  followers;  but  it  doth  not  appear  that  many  of  the 
Chriftians  apoftatized  to  him.  Simon  Magus  might,  perhaps,  be 
worfliipped  by  the  Samaritans;  but  itj  doth  not  appear  that  he 
was  ever  v/orfhipped  in  the  temple  of  God  at  Jerufalem,  or  in 
any  houfe  of  God  belonging  to  the  Chriftians.  He  died,  by 
all  accounts,  fonie  years  before  the  deftru^lion  of  Jerufalem; 
and  it  doth  not  appear  that  any  of  the  C-}noftics  were  involved 
in  the  delfrut^iion  oi:  the  unbelieving  Jews.  They  were  fo  far 
from  being  al/  involved  in  the  fame  deftruclion,  as  Dr.  Flam- 
mond  aiTerts,  that  that  feci  flourillied  moft  after  the  deftrud:iaii 

NOTE. 

(4)  See  his  Prcf.  to  the  ifl  Epill.  to  the  Thefialonians*. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  11$ 

of  Jcrufalcm;  and  the  fecond  centory  after  Chrift  is  fometlmes 
diftinguifhed  by  the  title  of  Seculum  Gnofticum,  or  the  age  of 
the  Gjioftics.  Befjdes,  when  it  is  faid,  1Vho?n  the  Lord  Jh ail 
corifume  with  the  fpirit  of  his  mouthy  <ind  Jhall  dtJJroy  tvith  the 
brighinejs  of  his  coinings  it  is  evident  thiit  the  fame  pcrfon  who 
waste  be  confumed  with  the  fpirit  of  his  mouth,  was  alfo  to 
be  deft  roved  with  the  brightnefs  of  his  connng:  but  according 
to  this  expofition,  Simon  Magus  was  confumed  by  the  fpirit  of 
his  mouth,  that  is,  by  the  prayer  and  preaching  of  St.  Peter  j  and 
the  unbelieving  Jews  and  Gnoftics  were  dcltroyed  together  by 
the  brightnefs  of  his  coming,  that  is,  by  the  deftru61ion  of  Jeru- 
lalem.  They  who  defire  to  fee  a  farther  refutation  of  this  ex- 
pofition, m.ay  find  it  in  (5)  Le  Clerc  among  the  foreign,  and  in 
Whitby  among  our  Englilh  commentators. 

3.  Le  Clerc,  whofe  comment  on  the  New  Teftament  is  a 
tranflation  and  fupplement  of  Hammond's,  hath  not  demolifh- 
ed  his  hypothefis,  without  erecting  another  (6)  of  his  own, 
which  he  eftcems  much  more  probable  than  the  conje6ture 
both  of  Grotius  and  Hammund.  He  fiippofeth  that  the  apof- 
tafy  was  the  great  revolt  of  the  Jews  from  the  Romans,  Tf>e 
man  of  fin  was  the  rebellious  Jews,  and  efpecially  their  fiimous 
leader  Simon,  not  Magus,  but  the  fon  of  Gioras.  7^hev  tram- 
pled upon  all  authority  divine  and  human.  They  feized  and 
profaned  the  temple  of  God.  }Vhat  hindered  was  what  re- 
trained the  Jews  from  breaking  into  open  rebellion,  which 
was  partly  the  reverence  of  the  Jewifh  magifirates,  and  partly 
the  fear  of  the  Roman  armies,      llje  myjlery  of  iniquity  was  the. 

NOTES. 

(.0  Clericus  in  locum.  Whitby's  Preface  to  the  ad  Epillle  to  the 
Theflalonians- 

^  (6)  Nihil  vetat  in  medium fufplcioiT'm  proferre,  qua:  baud  paulove- 
rlfimiiior  videtur,  et  Grotiana  ei  Hammondianaconjeftura.  i,rp;ofufpi- 
cor  Paulum  vocare  defe61ionem  illani  m?,gn?:m  Judaic  rum,  qua  imperii 
Ropani  jugum  txcuiere  fiuftra  conatnri  ilint. — Seqiiitur  hominem  pec- 
cati  effe  rebelles  Jud;-cos,  etpr^reiiini  eximium  eorum  ducem  Simonem, 
pon  Magnm,  fed  Giorss  filinm.— Seditivfi  Jud-^si  au(5toriti>tem  omnem 
legitimam,  cuin  exterorum,  turn  populariiim,  lantum  abell  ut  coJueri- 
ent,  ur  contra  it\Q  ea  fuperiores  exifiimarint. — Scelerati  illl  Ze!ot«^  et 
IdumoDi,  qui  temp[um  Jerofoiymiranum  invaferanr,  &c. — Eft  quod  coer- 
ccbat  Judcpos,  ne  In  aperram  rebe.Uionen}  erumpertnt:;  hoc  eft,  partim 
reveientia  procerum  Juclacx  psnt-s, — partim  meta?  exercituum  Rorria- 
norum,  5cc.  Quod  fieri  iurjpiebat  hoc  tempore,  erat  in  eo  fitum,  ut  fpe- 
cie  libertatis,  Sec— Vere  qiiidcm  nofter  vocari  animadvertit  fcelcftos 
homines,  qui  antea  defjgnati  fiierunt  voce;  Ud.  intclligendi  feditiofi  Ju- 
dsci,  Scc—Fuere  ei  alii  impoftores,  quorum  noa  uno  loco  meminit  jo« 
fephvis,o(c.    Cleric,  in  locum. 


ii6  DIS  SERT  ATIONS    OK- 

fpirit  of  rebellion  then  working  under  the  mafk  o{  liberty.  The 
feditious  Jews  were  alfo  the  ivickcd  one-y  and  they  had  among 
them  fiilfe  prophets  and  impoftors,  who  pretended  to  {how  great 
figns  and  wonders.     But  to  this  hypothefis  it  may  be  replied, 
that  the  apoftafy  is  plainly  a  defection  from  the  true  religion, 
and  it  is  ufed  in  no,  other  fenfe  by  the  apollle.     It  was  not  like- 
ly that  he  ihould  entertain  his  new  Gentile  converts  with  dif- 
courfcs  about  the  Jewifh  ilatsand  government,  wherewith  they, 
had  little  concern  or  connexion.     It  was  alfo  fcarce  worthy  of 
the  fpirit  of  prophecy  to  fay,  that  the  dellru6lion  of  Jerufalem 
fliould  not  happen,  unlefs  there  was  firH  a  rebellion  of  tlie  Jews. 
No  good  reafon  is  ailigned,  why  Simon  the  Ibn  of  Gioras  (hould 
be  reputed  the  man  of  fin  y  rather  than  other  fa^lious  leaders, 
John  and  Eleazer.     No  proof  is  alledged,  that  he  was  ever 
worihipped   hi  'the  temple  cf  God  as  God..     He  was  not  exalted. 
above  every  God  or  emperor-y  for  he  was  vanquifhed  and  made 
the  emperor's  prifoner.     His  coming  was  not  "  with  all  figns. 
*'  and  l}'ing  wonders ;"  for  he  never  pretended  to  any  fuch  pov/- 
er.     He  was  not  deftroyed  in  the  delrru^tion  of  Jerufalem;  but 
was  preferved  alive,  and  (7)  was  afterwards  led  in  triumph  at 
P.ome,  and  then  was  dragged  through  the  flreets  with  a  rope  a- 
bout  his  neck,  and  was  feverely  fcourged,  and  at  laff:  put  to 
dcaih  in  the  common  prifon.     Befides  it  is  not  very  confiflcnt 
in  this  learned  critic,  by  the  coming  of  Chrlfiy  in  verf,  8.  to  un- 
dsrftand  the  deOruction  of  Jerufalem,  and  in  his  note  upon  verf. 
I,  to  fay,  that  (8)  the  coming  of  Chrijly  both  in  the  firll:  Epiftle 
to  the  Thelfalonians,  and  in  this,  is  the  coming  of  Chrilt  to 
judge  the  quick  and  dead. 

4.  Dr.  VVhitby's  (9)  fcheme  is  fomewhat  perplexed  and 
confuftd,  as  if  he  was  not  fatisfied  himfelf  with  his  own  expli- 
cation. "  The  apojlafy  is  the  revolt  of  the  Jews  from  the  Ro- 
<'  man  empire,  or  from  the  faith."  If  the  former,  it  is  the 
fame  miflaken  notion  as  Le  Clerc's.  If  the  latter,  it  is  true 
that  many  vrcre  to  apoftatizc  from  the  faith,  before  the  de- 
llru6lion  of  Jerufalem,  according  to  the  predicl:ion  of  our 
Saviour;  but  it  doth  not  appear  that  their  number  was  fo  verv 
great,  as  to  defcrve  to  be  called,  by  way  of  eminence  and  dif- 
lindlion,  the  ap:j}afy.     "  7'he  ?nan  of  fin  is  the  Jewilh  nation, 

NOTES. 

(7)  Joferiuis  de  Hell.  Jud.  Lib.  7,  Cap.  .?,  Sc^.  6.    Fdlt.  Hudfon. 
\\\)  Chri^i  et  in   i  Lp.  ad  Thdtiloniccnfes,  et  in  !-iac  cHadvcutus 
Chr'fli,  Jid  JLidicandum  de  vivis  et  rnorluis.     Cleric.  ibid» 
(9)  See  Whitby's  Pdraphrafe  and  Commentaiy. 


THE     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  117 

<-  with  their  high-pricfl:  and  (-uihedi  Im."     But  the  Jewifh  na- 
tion, with  their  high-pricll  and  fanhedrim,  could  not  be  faid  to 
apojlatifc  from  the  faith  which  the)'  never  received:  and  thofe 
Chriftian  Jews,  who  did  apodatife,  were  never  united  under 
any  one  head  or  leader,  famous  or  infamous  enough  to  merit 
the  title  of  the  ?nan  of  Jin.     The  Jewifh  nation  too,  with  their 
high-pricil  and  fanliedrim,  were  already  revealed:  and  moft  of 
the  inltanccj?  v/hich  this  author  allech^c^th,  of  their  oppofmg  the 
Chriftian  religion,  and  exalting  themielves  above  all  laws  divine 
and  human,  were  prior  to  the  date  of  this  Epiftle.     He  was 
himfelf  aware  of  this  objection,  and  endeavors  to  prevent  it  by 
faying,  "  that  thcfe  are  the  defcriptions  of  the  man  of  fen,,  by 
"  which  the  TheiTalonians  might  then  know  him,  and  they  run 
"  all  in  the  prefent  tenfe,  fhowing  what  he  already  did.'*     Bat 
it  is  the  knov/n  and  ufual  fiiic  of  prophecy,  to  fpeak  of  things 
future  as  prefent,  intimating  that  though  future,  they  are  as 
fure  and  certain  as  if  they  were  even  now  prefent.     "  He  who 
*'  710ZV  leiteth  is  the  Roman  emperor  Claudius,  and  he  will  let 
^^  until  he  be  taken  out  of  the  woy'y  that  is,  he  v/ill  hinder  the 
"  Jews  from  breaking  out  into  an  open  rebeliion  in  his  tixe, 
*^  tliey  being  fo  Hgnully  and  particularly  obhged  by  him."    But 
how  utterly  improbable  is  it  that  the  apoftie  Oioild  talk  aiid 
write  of  Jewifh  politics  to  Gentile  converts?     If  Claudius 
withheld  the  Jew^s  from  revoking  from  the  Roman  government, 
did  he  withhold  them  alfo  from  apoftatifing  from  the  Chridian 
faith?  or  what  was  it  that  withheld  them?  and  what  then  be- 
comes of  that  interpretation?  "  When  Claudius  fhall  be  taken 
*'  out  of  tlie  way,  as  he  was  by  poifon,   then  thty  pall  he  re^ 
*'  vealedj  either  by  a6lual  apoftafy  fromi  the  Roman  government, 
*'  or  by  the  great  apoftafy  of  the  believers  of  that  nation." — 
But  the  apoftafy  of  believers  was  not  near  fo  great  nor  univer- 
fal  as  the  apoHafy  from  the  Roman  government.     Here  too  is 
the  fame  ambiguity  and  uncertainty  as  before.     The  prophecy 
plainly  intends  one  fort  of  apoftalV,  and  this  learned  commen- 
tator propofeth  two,  and  inclines  fom.etimes  to  the  one,  and 
fometimes  to  the  other,  as  may  beft  fuit  his  hypothefis.     He  is 
guilty  too  of  the  fame  inconfiftcncy  as  Le  Clerc,  in  interpreting 
the  coming  of  Chri/l  in  the  former  Epiftle,  and  in  this  Epiftle, 
2nd  in  the  firft  verfe  of  this  very  chapter,  of  his  coming  to  judge 
the  world;  and  yet  in  verfe  the  eighth,  of  his  coming  to  deftroy 
Terufalcm.     But  if  the  deftrudion  of  Jerufalem  only  was  meant, 
what  need  had  the  ThefTalonians  to  be  under  fuch  confterna- 


ii8  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

tion,  to  he  Jhaken  in  niind^  and  to  be  troubled^  that  the  wrath  is 
come  upon  them  to  the  utter moj}^  as  the  apcftle  faith,  i  Thef.  ii. 
15?  i^'  '^  ^^^  \m^^  killed  the  Lord  Jefus,  aiid  their  own  pro- 
*'  phets,  and  have  perfccuted  us;  and  they  pleafed  not  God,  and 
"  are  contrary  to  all  men,  forbidding  us  to  fpeak  to  the  Gen- 
*'  tiles,  that  they  might  be  faved."  It  was  tv.atter  of  confola- 
lion,  rather  than  of  trouble  or  terror  to  the  Theffalonians ;  and 
as  fuch  the  apoftle  mentions  it  in  his  foriner  Epiftle. 

5.  But  of  all  the  applications  of  this  prophecy  none  is  more 
extraordiiiary  than  that  of  the  late  Profciror  Wctftcin,  the 
learned  and  laborious  editor  of  the  New  Teftament  with  the 
vario'-s  readings  and  copious  annotations.  "  By  thp.  man  of  fin 
and  the  wicked  one  he  ( I )  underftands  Titus  or  the  Flavian 
family.  The  myfle^y  (f  iniquity  v/as  thefi  workings  becaufe  at 
that  time  Vefpaiian  had  borne  the  office  of  conful,  had  receiv- 
ed the  honors  of  a  triumph,  and  even  under  Caligula  had  enter- 
tained fome  hopes  of  the  empire.  He  who  Iciteth  was  Nero, 
who  was  now  ador-ted  by  the  emperor."  One  is  really  afham- 
ed  and  grieved  to  fee  a  fcholar  and  critic  fall  into  fuch  ahfur- 
dities.  What !  was  Titus  then,  as  well  as  the  emperor  Julian, 
Tin  apojiate?  Was  he,  who  was  one  of  the  beft  emperors,  the 
love  and  delight  of  mankind^  to  be  branded  with  the  odious 
appellations  o{  the  man  of  Jin  Tiw^.  the  wicked  one?  Even  Do- 
mitian  was  not  worfe  than  feveral  other  emperors  both  before 
and  after  him.  How  did  Titus  and  the  Flavian  famjly  oppofe 
and  exalt  ti)emfehcs  above  every  God  or  emperor  ?  How  did 
they  as  God  Jit  in  the  temple  of  God^jhoiuing  themf elves  that 
they  were  GcdsF  Why  was  Vefpafian's  hoping  for  che  empire 
ihe  myjlery  oj  iniquity^  more  than  Gaiba's,  or  Otho's  or  Vi- 
tellius's  hoping  for  the  fame?  When  Nero  was  taken  out  of 
the  way^  were  not  thefe  three  emperors  Galba,  Otho,  and  Vi- 
telliiis,  all  revealed  before  the  Flavian  family?  How  was  the 
coining  of  Titus  and  the  Flavian  family  with  allpower^  andftgns^ 
and  lying  wonders^  and  with  all  deccivahlcnefs  of  tinrighteouf 
nefsi'  How  were  their  adherents  tmd  follov/ers  fuch  eminently 
as  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth  that  they  jnight  befaved^  but 
believed  a  lie  that  they  ntight  be  damned^  and  hadpleajure  in  nn- 
righteoufnefs?  How  were  Titus  and  the  Flavian  family  deftroycd 

NOT    E. 

(t)  Intrlligo  Titiim  five  doniuni  Flaviam Eo  tempore  Vefpa^ 

iianus  cor.ll.ilatumj.im  gcfi'cint,  triumphalia  acceperut,  er  jpini  fub  Caio  " 
'n  fpcm  imperii  venenit. — Ntro  jam  kdoptatus  erat,  &c.    VV'edlciuas 
tn  locum. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S,  n^ 

m  the  deftru£lion  of  Jcrufalem,  when  they  were  themfelves  the 
deftroyers  of  it,  and  reigned  feveral  years  afccrwards  ?  AVas  there 
an  illuftrioiis  coming  of  Chrilt,  when  Titus  or  any  of  the  Fla- 
vian family  died  ?  Or  how  can  the  Lord  be  faid  to  cciifiune  them 
with  thefpifit  of  his  ?nouth^  a?id  to  dejlroy  them  with  the  bright^ 
ricfs  of  his  co?ning?  It  furpaffcth  all  comprehenfion,  how  this 
learned  proftllor  could  think  of  fuch  an  application,  witliout 
afking  himfclf  fome  fuch  queftions;  or  how  he  could  afk  him- 
iclf  any  fuch  queftions,  without  clearly  perceiving  the  impoili- 
bility  of  anfvvering  them.  We  cannot  fuppofe  that  he  would 
have  made  a  compliment  of  his  religion,  hut  he  hath  certainly  of 
his  underftanding,  to  Cardinal  Qiiirini,  in  this  inftance  as  well 
as  in  his  comment  upon  the  Revelation,  which,  (2)  as  he  hum- 
bly hopeth  v/ill  not  difpleafe  his  eminency,  and  then  he  fhall  be 
tranfcendently  happy. 

It  is  a  farther  objc£lion  to  Wetftein,  as  alfo  to  Grotius, 
Hammond,  Le  Clerc,  and  Whiiby,  that  they  are  fo  fingular  in 
their  opinions;  they  differ  as  much  from  one  another,  as  from 
the  generality  of  interpreters;  and  as  they  diflent  from  all  who 
went  before  them,  fo  they  are  followed  by  none  who  came  af- 
ter them.  If  this  prophecy  was  fulfilled,  as  thefe  critics  con-* 
ceive,  before  the  deftruBion  of  Jerufalem,  it  is  furprifmg  that 
none  of  the  fathers  (hould  agree  with  any  of  them  in  the  fame 
application,  and  that  the  difcovery  fliould  firft  be  made  fixteen 
or  feventeen  hundred  years  after  the  completion.  The  fathers- 
might  differ  and  be  miftaken  in  the  circumftances  of  a  prophecy 
which  was  yet  to  be  fulfilled;  but  that  a  prophecy  fhould  be  re- 
markably accompliihed  before  their  time,  and  they  be  totally  ig- 
norant of  it,  and  fpeak  of  the  accomplifhment  as  ftill  future,  is 
not  very  credible,  and  will  always  be  a  firong  prefumptive  ar- 
gument againll  any  fuch  interpretation.  The  foundation  of  all 
the  miftakes  of  thefe  learned  men  is  their  interpreting  the  com^ 
tng  of  ChriJ}^  of  the  deftruclion  of  Jerufalem;  v/hereas  the  con- 
text, as  it  hath  been  fhown,  plainly  evinces,  and  they  themfelves 
at  other  times  acknowledge,  that  it  is  to  be  underftood  of  his 
coming  to  judge  the  world.  They,  therefore,  bid  fairer  for  the 
true  interpretation,  who  apply  this  prophecy  to  events  after  the 
deftru(^ion  of  Jerufalem. 

NOTE. 

(a)  — cui  fi,  uti  fpero,  vel  interpretationem  Apocalyrfeos.  vel  cona- 
tum  faltem  meum  non  difpIiculfTe  intellexero,  fublimi  feriam  iidera  vcr- 
lice.    Idem  de  interpret.    Apoc.  Tom.  a,  P.  194. 


no  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  i  O  N  S   o  N 

6.  Of  thofe  who  apply  this  prophecy  to  events  after  the  de- 
flrU(5lion  of  Jcrufalein,  fome  papifls,   and   fomc  perfons  who 
think  Hke  papilts,  contend  that  the  chara6kr  of  ibe  ?nan  of/i>i 
was  drawn  for  the  great   irnpoftor   Alahomet:  and  it   muft  be 
confefTed,   that  the   portrait  refembles  him  in  many  refpecls.— 
He   was,  indeed,   a  man  of  Jin   both   in  lite  and  in  doilrine.— 
He  might  be  faid  ^^o  fit  in  the  temple  nf  God^  when  he  con/ert- 
ed  the   churches   into   mofques.     He  likewife   rofe    upon  the 
ruins  of  the  Roman  empire;  aiid   the  Roman  empire  is  gener- 
ally thought  to  be  ixjhat  iv'itbholdcth.     But  thouo^h  fom.e  fea- 
tures are  alike,  yet  ochcrs  are  very  much  unlike,  and  demonftrate 
a  maaifeil  difference.     He  was  not  properly  an  apfiate^  for  he 
and  his  countrymen  the  Arabians  v/ere  not  Chriftians  but  Hea- 
thens, though   he  made   many  Chri  (Hans  afterwards  apoftatize 
from  the  faith.     The  myjlery  of  iniquity^   as  we  have  feen,  was 
■working  in  the  days  of  the  apoitles,  but  there  were  not  thej!i 
any  indications   of  the   rife   and    increale  of  Mahometifm;  it 
fprona:  up  of  a  fudden  like  a  mulhrooni,  v/liofc  feeds  the  winds 
fcattered  over  the  face  of  the   earth.     The  (^pojlafy  was  to  pre- 
cede and  introduce  the  man  offm^  but  this  man  of  fin  was  the 
firft   author  of  this  apoftafy.     And  what  is  the  moil:  material, 
he  never   pretended  to  confirm   his  miflion,   or   authorize  his 
do6lrine  by  miracles.     His  coming  was  not  with  all  power ^  and 
JignSy  and  lying  luonders :  On  the   contrary  he   (3)   declared, 
that  "  God  had  fent  Mofes  and  Jcfus  with  miracles,  and  yet 
"  men  would  not  be  obedient  to  their  word;  and  therefore  he 
"  had  now  fent  him  in  the  lafl:  place  without  miracles,  to  force 
<•  them  by  the  power  of  the  fword  to  do  his  will."     Some  of 
his  follov/ers  have  afcribed  miracles  to  him:  but  as  Dr.  Pri- 
d^auK  obfcives,  "  thofe  who  relate  them  are  only  fuch  who  are 
"reckoned  among  their  fabul'.>us  and  legendary  writers.  Their 
''  learned  doctors  renounce  them  all,  as  doth  Mahomet  himfeif, 
"  who,  in  feveral  places  in  his  Koran,  owns  that  he  wrought  n'3 
"  miracles.'*' 

7.  Others  of  the  pap  ills  affirm,  that  .the  apojlcfj  is  the  falling 
awiy  from  the  church  of  Rome  by  the  doctrines  of  the  refor- 
fnati.)n.  But  who  then  is  the  ??ian  ofjin^  Luther  and  his  follow- 
ers, or  Cilvin  and  his  followers,  or  who?  for  (he  proteifants 
are  far  from  being  under  any  one  head.  Which  of  the  prot^-ll- 
ant  churches  exalts  herfelf  above  every  God  and  magi llratc? — • 

NOTE. 

(j)  S2C  PiiJcaux's  Life  of  Mahomet,  P.  2^  and  %9,,  ?ah  Edit.  1-?^, 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  121 

—Which  of  them  arrogates  to  herfclf  divine  honors  and  titles? 
— Which  of  them  pretends  to  eftabiifti  her  doctrine  and  difcip* 
line  by  miracles? — Thefe  things  would  be  ridiculoufly  and  ab- 
fiirdlv  obje^ed  to  the  proteftant  churches,  and  more  ridiculoufly 
and  abfuidly  ftill  by  the  members  of  the  church  of  Rome. 

8.   'I'hc  greater  part  of  the  Romifh  do6tors,  it  muft  be  con- 
fefled,  give  another  interpretation,  and  acknowledge  that  (4)  the 
fathers  and  the  beft  interpreters  underftand  this  unanimoully  of 
Antichriii:,  who  will  appear  in  the  world  before  the  great  day 
of  judgment  to  combat  religion  and  the  faints.     But  then  they 
conceive  that  Antichrifl  Is  not  yet  revealed,  that  he  is  only  one 
man,  and  that  he  will  continue  only  three  years  and  an  half. — • 
But  we  have  fhown  before,  that  the  man  of  fen  Is  not  a  fmgle  man, 
anv  more  than  the  whore  of  Babylon  Is  a  fmgle  woman.     The 
one  as  well  as  the  other  Is  to  be  underftood  of  a  v/hole  order 
and  fucceffion  of  perfons.   The  myftery  of  Iniquity  was  working, 
and  preparing  the  way  for  the  ?na?i  of  fin  even  In  the  apoftles' 
days:  and  Is  it  not  very  extraordlnar}',  that  one  thoufand  feveii 
hundred  years  fhould  elapfe,  and  that  he  fliould  not  be  yet  re- 
vealed?  What  withhoUethy  they  fay,  was  the  Rom.an  empire: 
and  the  Roman  empire  might  be  powerful  enough  to  hinder  his 
appearance  at  that  tim.e,  but  how  hath  It  withheld  and  hindered 
all  this  while?   As  this  evil  began  in  the  apoftles'  davs,  and  was 
to  continue  In  the  world  till  the  fccond  coming  of  Chrifl:  In 
power  and   great  glory ;  it  neceflarily  follows   that  it  was  to 
be  carried  on  not  by  one  man,  but  by  a  fucceffion  of  men  In  fe- 
veral  ages.     It  cannot  be  taking  root  and  growing  inperceptl- 
*bly  one  thoufand  ievtn  hundred  years,  and  more,  and  yet  flouriflx 
under  its  chief  head  only  three  years  and  a  half.    There  needeth 
not  furely  fo  much  preparation  for  fo  little  efFe6}.     Neither  are 
three  years  and  a  half  a  period  fofficient  for  Antichrifl  to  act  the 
parts  and  to  fulfil  the  characters  which  are  afligned  him;  milefs 
he  hath  alfo  this  property  of  divinity,  that  one  clay  is  with  hl?ii 
as  a  thoifandycars^  and  a  thoufand  years  as  one  day. 

III.  The  dete(5tion  of  falfehood  is  the  next  flep  towards  the 
difcovery  of  truth:  and  having  (^en  how  this  palfage  hath  beca 
miffaken   and  mifapplied  by  fome  famous  commentators,  we 
Vol.  II.  (^ 

NOTE. 

(4)  Les  Peres,  et  les  meilleurs  interpretes  entendent  unanimement 
cecl  de  rAnte-Chrift,  qui  doit  paroitre  dans  le  monde  avant  le  errand 
jour  dn  jucement,  pour  combattrela  religion  « les  faints.  Calmet  Com- 
ment et  Diliertation  fur  I'Ante-Ciiriit. 


122  DISSERTATIONS    ON- 

mav  be  the  better  enabled  to  vindicate  and  eftablifli  what  we 
conceive  to  be  the  only  true  and  legitimate  application.  The 
TheflalonianSj  from  ibme  expreflions  in  the  former  Epiftle, 
were  alarmed  as  if  the  end  of  the  world  was  at  hand,  and  Chrift^ 
was  comino-  to  iiidgincnt.  The  apollle,  to  corretl  their  mif- 
takes,  and  difiipate  their  fears^  afliircs  them,  that  the  coming  of 
Chrift  will  not  be  yet  awhile;  there  will  be  firH:  a  great  apolta- 
fy  or  defection  of  Chriffians  from  the  true  faith  and  worfhip. 
This  apoflafy  all  the  concurrent  marks  and  characters  will  juf- 
tlfy  us  in  charging  upon  the  church  of  Rome.  The  apoftle 
mentions  this  apoftafy  in  another  place,  i  Tim.  Iv.  i.  &c.  and 
fpccifies  fome  articles,  as  do^rlnes  of  d^monsy  forbidding  to  mar- 
7-V,  and  commanding  to  abjloin  from  mcats^  which  will  warrant 
the  fame  conclufton.  The  true  Chriftian  v/orfhip  is  the  wor- 
fliip  of  the  07ie  only  God^  through  the  only  one  ?nediator  between 
God  and  men^  the  man  Chrijl  Jefus:  and  from  this  worfhip  the 
church  of  Rome  hath  notoiioully  departed,  by  fubftitiUing  o- 
ther  mediators,  and  invocating  and  adoring  faints,  and  angels. 
Nothino-  is  apoftafy,  if  idolatry  be  not;  and  the  fame  kind  of 
idolatrv  is  praclifed  in  the  church  of  Rome,  that  the  prophets- 
and  infpired  writers  arraign  and  condemn  as  apoftafy  and  rebel- 
lion in  the  Jewifh  chuich.  The  Jews  never  totally  rejeded 
the  true  God,  but  only  worfhipped  him  through  the  medium 
of  fome  image,  or  in  conjunBion  with  fjme  other  beings:  and 
are  not  the  members  of  the  church  of  Rome  (5)  guilty  of  the 
fame  idolatry  and  apoftafy  in  the  worfhjp  of  images,  in  the  ador- 
ation of  the  hoft,  in  the  invocation  of  angels  and  faints,  and  in 
the  oblation  of  prayers  and  praifes  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  as  much 
or  more  than  to  Ciod  blelfcd  for  ever  ?  This  is  the  grand  cor- 
ruption of  the  Chriftian  church,  this  is  the  apojlafy^  as  it  is  em- 
phatically called,  and  deferves  to  be  called  the  apjiafy  that  the  a- 
poitle  had  warned  the  Theffalonian!?  of  before,  the  apajiafy  that 
had  alfo  been  foretold  by  the  prophet  Daniel. 

If  the  apoftafy  be  rightly  charged  upon  the  church  of  Rome, 
it  follows  of  confequence,  that  the  man  of  fin  is  the  Pope,  not 
meaning  this  or  tl.at  Pope  in  particular,  but  the  Pope  in  gener- 
id,  as  the  chief  head  and  fupporter  of  this  apoftafy.  The  apof-. 
tp.fv  produces  liim,  and  he  again  promotes  the  apoftafy.  He  is- 
properly  the  man  of fin^  not  only  oh  account  of  the  fcandalous 

NOTE. 

f  ; )  See  Stillinpflcet's  Difcoiirfc  concerning  the  Idolatry  of  ihe  char-ch>, 
of  Home.    Chap,  i  and  a,  Vol.  5  of  his  works.. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  12  j 

lives  of  manv  Popes,  but  by  rearoii  of  tlK-ir  more  fcandalous 
do6lrincs  and  principles,  diipenfuig  with  the  moil  neceOary 
duties,  and  granting,  or  rather  felling  pardons  and  indulgences 
to  tlie  moft  abominable  crimes.  Or  if  by  Jin  be  meant  idola- 
try particularly,  as  in  the  ()jd  'reiiarnent,  it  is  evident  to  all 
how  he  hath  corrupted  the  worlhip  of  God,  and  perverted  it 
(roxnfptr'it  and  truth  to  fuperftition  and  idolatry  of  the  groflcil 
kind.  He  alfo,  like  the  falfe  apoftle  Judas,  is  thefon  of  perdi- 
iion,  whether  aiStively,  as  being  the  caufe  and  occafion  of  de- 
ftrufcHon  to  others,  or  pafTively  as  being  deftined  and  devoted 
to  deftruclioii  himfelf.  He  cppofcth\  he  is  the  great  adverfary 
to  God  and  man,  excommunicating  and  anathematizing,  perfe- 
cuting  and  djftroying  by  croifadoes  and  inquifitions,  by  m.affa- 
cres  arkd  horrid  executions,  thofe  fincere  Chriftians,  who  preR'r 
the  word  of  God  co  all  the  authority  of  men.  The  Heathen  em- 
peror of  Rome  may  have  (lain  his  thoufands  of  innocent  Chrifti-r 
ans,  but  the  Chriftian  bilhop  of  Rome  hath  flain  his  ten  thou- 
sands. There  is  fcarce  any  country  that  hath  not  at  one  time  or 
other  been  made  the  ftage  of  thefe  bloody  tragedies:  fcarce  any 
age,  that  hath  not,  in  one  place  or  other,  {^^qvl  them  a'i^ed.  He 
exalteth  h'wijclf  above  all  that  is  called  God^  or  that  is  worjhip-r 
ped-y  not  only  above  inferior  magi  ilrates,  but  likewife  above  Ijilh- 
o;:s  and  primates,  exerting  an  abf-.>lute  jurifdi^ion,  and  uncon- 
troled  fupremacy  over  all;  not  only  above  bifhjps  and  ^  rimates, 
but  likewife  above  kings  and  emj/erors,  d^pofnig  fome,  and 
advancing  others,  obliging  them  to  proftrate  theniLdves  before 
him,  to  kifs  his  toe,  to  hold  his  ftirrup,  to  (6.)  wait  bare-footed 
at  his  gate,  treading  (71  even  U;;on  the  neck  and  (8;  kickmg  off 
the  im.;  erial  crown  with  his  foot;  nor  only  above  kings  and 
emperors,  but  likewife  above  Chrift  and  God  himfelf,  making 
the  word  of  God  of  none  effeSf  by  his,  traditions^  forbidding  what 
God  hath  commanded,  as  marriage^  cmmunion  in  both  kinds, 
the  ufe  of  the  fcriptures  in  the  vulgar  tunL:;ue,  and  the  Hke,  and 
alfo  comman^hng  or  allowing  what  God  hath  forbidden,  as 
idojatry,  perfjc;;tion,  works  of  fuoe  re  rogation,  and  various 
other  inftances.  So  that  he^  as  God^fittcth  in  the  temple  ofGody 
fhovjing  himfi'ifthat  he  is  God.  He  is,  therefore,  in  profeifioa 
^  Chrillian,  and  a  Chriflian  bifhap.     His  ftting  in  the.  tpiipli^ 

NOTES. 

[(A  As  HJidebrand  or  Gregory  V{|.  dfd  10  licnry  IV, 

(7)  As  Alexander  III.  did  to  Frederic  I. 

(8)  As  Celeftin  did  to  iien.-y  VI. 


124  DISSERTATIONSoN 

ofGod^  plainly  implies  his  having  his  feat  or  cathedra  in  the 
Chrifiian  church:  and  he  fitteth  there^i  God^  efpecially  at  his 
inauguration,  when  he  fitteth  upon  the  high  altar  in  St.  Peter's, 
chuich,  and  maketh  the  table  of  the  Lord  his  footftool,  and  in 
that  pofition  receiveth  adoration.     At  all  times  he  exeicifeth 
divine  authority  \\\  the  &iV\XQ\Jlwwi7ig  himfdj  that  he  is  God, 
affeBing  divine  titles  and  attributes,  as  holinefs  and  infallibility, 
affuming  divine  pouters   and  prerogatives  in  condemning  and 
abfolvincr  men,  in  retaining  and  forgi'.  ing  fins,  in  alTerting  his 
decrees  to  be  of  the  fame  or  greater  authority  than  the  word  of 
God,  and  commandinij  them  to  be  received  under  the  penalty 
of  the   fame   or  greater  damnation.     Like  another  Salmoneus, 
he  is  proud  to  imitate  the  ilate  and  thunder   of  the  Almighty; 
and  is  filled,  and  pleafed  to  be  (9)  fliled,  "  Our  Lord  God  the 
"  Pope — another  God  upon  earth — King  of  Kings,  and  Lord 
*'  of  Lords      The  fame  is  the  dominion  of  God  and  the  Pope. 
*'  To  believe  that  our  Lord  God  the  Pope   might  not  decree 
*'  as  he  decreed,  it  were  a  matter  of  herefy.     The  power  of  the 
*'  PoDC  is  greater  than  all  created  pow^r,  and  extends  itfelf  to 
"  things  celeflial,  terreflrial,  and   infernal.     The  Pope  doeth 
"  whatfoever  he  lifteth,  even  things  unlawful,  and  is  more  than 
"  God."     Such  blafphemies  are  not  only  allowed,  but  are  even 
approved,  encouraged,  rewarded  in  the  writers  of  the  church  of 
Rome;  and  they  are  not  only  the  extravagancies  of  private  writ- 
ers, but  are  the  language  even  of  public  decretals  and  acts  of 
couiicils.     So  that  the  Pope  is  evidcntlv  the  God  upon  earth: 
atleait  there  is  no  one  like  him,  who  exalteth  himftlf  above  eve- 
ry God;  no  one  like  him,  who  jitteth  as  God  in  the  temple  of 
God.Jhowing  him/elf  that  he  is  God, 

But  if  the  bifhop  of  Rome  be  the  man  of  fin^  it  may  feem 
fomewhat  flrange  that  the  apoitlc  fhould  mention  thcfe  things 
in  an  EpiiHe  to  the  Theflalonians,  and  not  rather  in  his  Epiftle 
to  the  Romans.     But  this  Epiille  was   written  four  or  five 

NOTE. 

(9)  Dominns  Deus  nofter  Papa.  Alter  Dens  in  terra.  Kex  reg-um, 
donunus  dominorum.  Idem  eft  dominium  Dei  et  Papse.  Credere  Do- 
niiniim  Deum  ncftrum  Papam  non  potuiiTe  ftatuere,  pront  ftauiit,  ha^e- 
ticum  Cf  nferetur.  Papsc  potcftas  eft  major  omni  poieftate  crcat-a,  ex- 
tendiique  fe  ad  CGcleftia,  tentftria,  et  infcrnalia.  Papa  facit  quic((ucd 
libet,  ctiam  iHicita,  et  eft  plus  quam  Deus.  See  thele  and  ilic  like  in- 
,  ftances  (juoled  in  Bifhop  Jewtel's  Apologv  and  Defence,  in  Downham's 
Treanfc  de  Antichrifto,  and  Poole's  Englilh  Annoiutions.  See  likewife 
Barrow's  Trcatife  of  the  Pope's  Supremacy  in  the  Introdudion. 


THE    PROP  HE  C  I  E  S.  125 

years  before  that  to  the  Romans,  and  there  was  no  occafioit 
to  mention  the  fame  things  again  in  another  Epiftle.     What 
was   written  to  the   Thejlalonians  or  any   particular  church 
was  in  effetSl  written  to  all  the  churches,  the  epiitles  being  de- 
figned  for  general  edification,  and  intended  to  be  read  public- 
ly in  the  congregations  of  the  faitliful.     When  St.  Paul  wrote 
his  Epiftle  to  the  Rom;uis,  he  had  not  been  at  Rome,  and  con- 
fequently  could  noi  rillude  to  any  former  difcoarfe  with  them, 
as  with  the  ThclTaionians:  an  J   theic  things  were  not  proper 
to  be  fully  explained  in  a  letter,  and  efpecially  in  a  letter  ad- 
drefled  to  the  Chriftian  converts  at  the  capit.;!  city  of  the  em- 
pire.    The  apoftles,  with  all  their  prudence,  were  rcpreifentcd 
as  enemies  to  government,  and  were  charged  with  ^^  turning 
«  the  world  upfide  down;"  Adis  xvii.  6.  but  the  accufatioa 
would  have  been  founded  higher,  if  St.  Paul  had  denounced 
openly,  and  to  Romans  too,  the  deftru6lion  of  the  Roman 
empire.     However,  he  admoniflied  them  to  beware  of  apof- 
tafy,  Rom.  xi.  20,  22.  and  to  "  continue  In  God's  goodnefe, 
"  or  otherwife  they  ihall  be  cut  off:''  and  afterwards  when 
he  vifited  Rome,  and  dv/elt  there  "  two  whole  years,"  AEis 
xxviii.   30.  he  might  have  frequent  opportonities  of  inform- 
ing them  particularly  of  thefe  things.     It  is  not  to  be  fuppof-; 
ed,  that  he  difcourfed  of  thefe  things  onlv  to  the  Thcflalo- 
nians.     It  was  a  matter  of  concern  to  all  Chriftians  to  be  fore- 
warned of  the    great   corruption    of  Chriliianitv,    that   they 
might  be  neither  furpri fed  into  it,  nor  offendc'd  at  it;  and  the 
caution,  was  the  more  neceffary,  as  ike  myJUry  of  iniquity  was 
already  working.     The  feeds  of  popery  were  fown  in  the  apof- 
tle's  time;  for  even  then  idolatry  was  flealing  into  the  churchj 
I  Cor.  X.  14.  and  "  a  voluntary  humility  and  worfliipping  of 
"  angels,"  Col.  ii.  18.  "  ftrifeanddivifions,"  1  Cor.  iii.  3.  "ail 
"  adulterating  and  handling  of  the  word  of  God  deceitfully,"  2 
Cor.  ii.  17.  iv.  2.  a  "  gain  of  godlinefs,  and  teaching  of  things 
"  for  filthy  lucre's  fake,"   i  Timothy  vi.  5.  Titus  i.  11.  "a  vain 
"  obfervationof  feilivals,"  Gal.  iv.  10.  "  a  vain  diftindtion  of 
"  meats,"  i  Corinthians  viii.  8.  a  "  neglecting  of  the  body,"  Col- 
oflians  ii.  23.  "  traditions  and  comm.andments,  and  doctrines  of 
"  men,"  Coloffians  ii.  8,  22.  with  other  corruptions  and  inno^ 
Vations.     All   heretics  were  in  a  manner  the  forerunners  of 
the  man  oJfin\  and  Simon  Magus,  in  part;jcular,  was  fo  lively 
a  type  and  figure  of  the  wicked  one,  that  he  haih  been  miftaicen, 
as  we  fee,  for  the  wicked  one  himfclf. 


126  DI  S  SE  RT  A  TION  S    01^ 

The  foundations  of  popery  were  laid  indeed  in  the  apoftlc^s 
days,  but  the  fupcrftru(5l!'rc  was  raifed  by  degrees,  and  feveral 
a^es  paffed  before  the  building  was  completed,  and  the  man  of 
fin  was  rci'ealed'm  fiJl  perfection.  St.  Paul  having  communi- 
cated to  the  7'heflalonians  what  it  VvMS  that  hindered  his  appear- 
ance, it  was  natural  for  other  Chriftians  alfo  who  read  this 
Kpiftle,  to  enquire  zvhat  zvithholdetb  thai  he  might  be  revealed  in 
his  time  J  and  the  apoftle  without  doubt  would  impart  it  to  other 
Chridians  as  freely  as  to  the  Thefialonians:  and  the  Theflaloni- 
i^ns  and  other  Chriftians  might  deliver  it  to  their  fucccflors,  and 
(o  the  t  adition  might  generally  prevail,  and  the  tradition  that 
generally  prevailed  v/as  that  v/hat  hindered  was  the  Romaa 
empire:  and  therefore  the  primitive  Chriftians  in  the  public 
offices  of  the  church  praved  for  its  peace  and  welfare,  as  know- 
ing; that  when  the  Rpman  empire  fhould  be  diflblved  and  bro- 
ken into  pieces,  the  empire  of  the  man  of  fm  w^>uld  be  raifed 
(>n  its  ruins.  How  this  revolution  was  efieded,  no  writer  can 
better  inform  us  than  (i)  Machiavel.  "  The  emperor  of  Rome 
''  quitting  Rome  to  hdd  his  rcfidence  at  Conftantinople,  the 
*^  Rom:.n  empire  began  to  decline,  but  the  church  of  Rome 
*'  augmented  as  fiift.  Neveilhelefs,  until  the  coming  in  of  the 
**  Lombards,  all  Italv  being  under  the  dominion  either  of  em- 
"  pcrors  or  kings,  the  biihops  affumed  no  more  pov/er  than 
"  what  was  due  to  their  doClrine  and  manners;  in  civil  aft'airs 
**  they  were  fubjeft  to  the  civil  power. — But  Theodoric,  king 
"  of  the  Goths,  fixing  his  feat  at  Ravenna  was  that  which  ad- 
"  vanced  their  intercft  and  made  them  more  confiderable  in 
*^  Italy;  for  there  being  no  other  prince  left  in  Rome,  the 
"  Romans  were  forced  for  protection  to  pay  greater  allegi- 
*' ance  to  the  Pope.  Aiid  yet  their  authoiity  advanced  no 
*'  farther,  at  that  time,  than  to  obtain  the  preference  before  the 
*<  church  of  Ravenna.  But  the  Lombards  having  invaded 
"  and  reduced  Italy  into  feveral  cantons,  the  Pope  took  the 
*'  opportunity  and  began  to  hold  up  his  head.  For  being  as 
**  it  were  governor  and  principal  at  Rome,  the  emperor  of 
**  Conftantinople  and  the  Lombards  bare  him  a  refpe6t,  f)) 
"  that  the  Romans,  by  mediation  of  their  Pope,  began  to  treat 
"  and  confederate  with  Longinus,  the  emperor's  lieutenant^ 
**  and  the  Lombards,  not  as  fubjeBs,  but  as  equals  and  com- 

K     O    T     E. 

(i)  M-ic^hvel's  Hill,  of  Flarence,  Book  i.  P.  6,  Sec.  of  the  Eng- 
Jiili  iranflau  jn. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  127 

^panions;  which  fald  cuflom  continuing,  and  the  Popes  ea- 
'  terin.^'  into  alliance,  fometirncs  v/ith  the  Lombards,  and  fome- 
'  times  with  the  Greeks,  contradled  great  reputation  to  their 
di(^nity.  But  the  deftruction  of  the  eallern  empire  fbllow- 
\\vr  io  clofe  under  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Heraclius, 
the  Pope  loft  the  convenience  of  the  emperor's  protedtiou 
in  time  of  adverfity,  and  the  power  of  the  Lombards  increaf- 
ino-  too  faft  on  the  other  (ide,  lie  thought  it  but  neceffary 

to  addrefs  himfelf  to  the  king  of  France  for  alliftance. 

Gregory  the  third  being  created  Pope,  and  Aiftolfus  king 
of  the  Lombards,  Aiftolfus  contrary  to  league  an4  agree- 
ment feized  upon  Ravenna,  and  made  v/ar  upon  the  Pope. — . 
Greo-ory  not  daring  (for  the  reafons  abovefaid)  to  depend 
upon  the  weaknefs  of  the  empire,  or  the  fidelity  of  the  Lom- 
bards, (whom  he  had  already  found  fiilfe)  applied  himfelf 
to  Pepin  for  relief  againft  the  Lombards.  Pepin  returned 
anfwer,  that  he  would  be  ready  to  affift  him,  but  he  defired 
firft  to  have  the  honor  to  fee  him,  and  pay  his  perfonal  re- 
fpe£ls.  Upon  which  invitation  Pope  Gregory  v/ent  into 
France,  pafTing  through  the  Lombards*  quarters  without 
any  interruption,  fo  great  reverence  they  bare  to  religion  in 
thofe  days.  Being  arrived  and  honorably  received  in  France, 
he  was,  after  fome  time,  difmifl'ed  with  an  army  into  Italy; 
which  having  befieged  Pavia,  and  reduced  the  Lombards  to 
diftrefs,  Aiftolfus  was  conftrained  to  certain  terms  of  agree- 
ment with  the  French,  which  were  obtained  by  the  intercef- 

fion  of  the  Pope. Among  th?  reft  of  the  articles  of  that 

treaty,  it  was  agreed  that  Aiftolfus  fhould  reftore  all  the 
lands  he  had  ufurped  from  the  ch  Jrch.  But  when  the  French 
army  was  returned  into  France,  Aiftolfus  forgot  his  engage- 
m?nt,  which  put  the  Pope  upon  a  fecond  application  to 
king  Pepin,  who  fapplied  him  again,  lent  a  new  army  into 
Italv',  overcome  the  Lombards,  and  poftelTed  himfelf  of  Ra- 
venna, and  (contrary  to  the  defire  of  the  Grecian  emperor) 
gave  it  to  the  Pope,  with  all  the  lands  under  that  exarchate. 
— In  the  interim  Aiftolfus  died,  and  Defiderio,  a  Lombard, 
and  duke  of  Tufcany,  taking  up  anns  to  fucceed  him,  begged 
aiTiftance  of  the  Pope,  wlih  promife  of  perpetual  amity  for 
the  future.  At  fir  ft  Defiderio  was  very  pun6lual,  delivered 
up  the  towns  as  he  took  them  to  the  Pope,  according  to  his 
engagement  to  king  Pepin;  nor  was  there  any  exarch  fent 
"  afterwards  from   Conftantinople  to  Ravenna,  bat  all  was 


X28  DISSERTATrONSoN 

•*  arbitrary,  and  managed  accarding  to  the  pleafure  of  the  Pop?. 
«  — Not  long  after  Pepin  died,  and  Charles  his  foii  fucceeded 
"  in  the  o;overnment,  who  was  called  the  Great  from  the  great- 
"  nefs  of  his  exploits.  About  the  fame  time  Theodore  the  liril 
**  was  advanced  to  the  papacy,  and  falling  out  with  Defiderio, 
*'  was  befieQ;ed  by  him  in  Rome.  In  his  exigence  the  Pope 
*'  had  recourfe  to  the  king  of  France,  (as  his  predeceflbr  had 
"  done  before  him)  and  Cliarles  not  only  fupplicd  him  with  an 
**  army,  but  marching  over  the  Alps  at  the  head  of  it  himfelf» 
"  he  benei;cd  Defiderio  in  Pavia,  took  him  and  his  fon  in  it, 
*'  fent  them  both  prifoners  into  France,  and  went  in  perfon  to 
^  Rome,  to  vifit  the  Pope,  where  he  adjudged  and  deterreined, 
*'  that  his  Holinefsj  being  God's  vicar^  could  not  be  fuhjecl  to  thg 
^judgment  of  man.  For  which  the  Pope  and  people  together 
"  declared  him  emperor,  and  Rome  began  again  to  have  an 
**  emperor  of  the  weft :  and  whereas  formerly  the  Popes  were 
''  confirmed  by  the  emperors,  tlie  emperor  now,  in  his  election, 
"  was  to  be  beholden  to  the  Pope;  by  which  means  the  power 
"and  dignity  of  the  empire  declined,  and  the  church  began  to 
*'  advance,  and,  by  thefc  fteps,  to  ufurp  upon  the  authority  of 
*'  temporal  princes.'* 

In  this  manner  the  emperor  of  Rome,  or  he  who  Ictteth^  was 
iakefi  out  of  the  way^  and  the  bifliop  of  Rome  was  advanced  in 
his  ftead.  In  the  fame  proportion  as  the  power  of  the  empire 
decreafed,  the  authority  of  the  church  increafed,  the  latter  at 
the  expenfe  and  ruin  of  the  former;  till  at  length  the  Pope 
grew  up  above  all,  and  the  wicked  one  was  fully  manifefted  and 
revealed^  or  the  lawlefs  one,  as  he  may  be  called;  for  the  Pope 

(2)  is  declared  again  and  again,  not  to  be  bound  by  any  law 
of  God  or  man.  His  coming  is  afte?'  the  energy  of  Satan,  with 
all  power,  andfigns,  and  lying  wonders^  and  zvith  all  deccivable^ 
nefs  of  unrighteoufnefs :  And  doth  it  require  any  particular 
proof,  or  is  it  not  too  generally  known,  that  the  pretenfiohs  of 
the  Pope,  and  the  corruptions  of  the  church  of  Rome,  are  all 
f'jpported  and  authorifcd  bv  feigned  vifions  and  miracles,  by 
pious  frauds  and  impoftures  of  every  kind?   Bellarmin  reckons 

(3)  the  glory  of  miracles  as  the  eleventh  note  of  the  catholic 
church;  but  the  apoflle  afTigns  them  as  a  diftinguilhed  mark 

NOTES. 

(a)  See  Biihop  Jewel's  Apology  and  Defence,  P.  313,  3T4»  33o>  &"c. 
(3)  Undecima  nota  ell  gloria  miraculoruni.    Ik'llar.  de  Notis  eccle- 
fix.    Lib.  4,  Cup.  14. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  -    n.9 

and  character  of  the  man  of  fin.  The  church  of  Rome  pretends 
to  miracles,  Mahomet  difclaims  them:  and  this  is  one  very  • 
good  reafc-n,  why  the  man  of  fin  is  the  Pope,  rather  than  the 
Turk.  There  hath  been  printed  at  London,  fo  lately  as  in  the 
year  one  thoufand  feven  hundred  and  fifty-fix,  a  book,  entitled, 
ihe  miraculous  power  of  the  church  of  Chrifi  offerted  through 
each  fucceffive  century  from  the  apoflles  down  to  the  prefent  time  : 
and  from'  thence  the  author  draweth  the  conclufion,  that  the 
catholic  church  is  the  true  church  of  Chrif:.  They  muft 
certainly  not  receive  the  love  of  the  truths  but  have  pie afure  in 
unrlghteouf.iefs^  Vv-ho  can  believe  fuch  fabulous  and  ridiculous 
legends,  vi^ho  hold  it  a  mortal  fm  but  to  doubt  of  any  article  of 
their  religion,  w^ho  deny  the  free  exercife  of  private  judgment, 
who  take  away  the  free  ufe  of  theholyfcriptures,  andfo_/'Z?z^f  z/j> 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ogainfl  men^  neither  going  in  themfelvesy 
neither  fujfering  them^  who  were  entering^  to  go  in.  If  they  will 
ftill  maintain  their  miracles  to  be  true,  yet  they  are  no  proof  of 
tlie  true  church,  but  rather  of  the  contrary.  They  are  the  mira- 
cles  here  predicted,  and  if  they  were  really  wrought,  were  wrought 
in  favor  of  falfehood:  and,  indeed,  it  is  a  proper  retaliation,  that 
God  in  his  juft  ]\xAgmQnts  Jhould fe?id  men firong  delufion  that 
they  Jhould  believe  a  lie^  who  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth  that 
they  might  be  faved\  a  proper  retaliation,  that  he  fhoiild  fufFer 
fome  real  miracles  to  be  wrought  to  deceive  thofe,  who  have 
counterfeited  fo  many  miracles  to  deceive  others. 

But  how  much  foever  the  man  of  fm  may  be  exalted,  and  how 
long  foever  he  may  reign,  yet,  at  lafl,  the  Lord  /hall  confume 
him  with  the  fpirit  of  his  mouthy  and  fhall  dejlroy  him  with  the 
hrightnefs  of  his  coming, '  This  is  partly  taken  from  the  pro- 
phet Ifiiiah,  xi.  4.  "  and  v/ith  the  breath  of  his  lips  fhall  he  flay 
"  the  wicked  one:"  where  the  Jews,  as  Lightfoot  (4)  obferves, 
"  put  an  emphafis  upon  that  word  in  the  prophet  the  wicked one^ 
"  as  it  appeareth  by  the  Chaldee  paraph  raft,  who  hath  littered 
"  it.  He  jhall  defii  oy  the  wicked  RomanJ^  If  the  two  claufes, 
as  it  was  faid  before,  relate  fo  two  different  events,  the  mean- 
ing manifefily  is,  that  the  Lord  Jefus  fhall  gradually  confume 
him  with  the  free  prcAching  of  his  gofpel,  and  iliall  utterly  de- 
flroy  him  at  his  fecond  coming  in  the  glory  of  his  Father.  The 
former  began  to  take  cfFciSt  at  the  Reforniation,  and  the  latter 

Vol.  IL  R 

NOTE, 

(4)  Lightfoofs  Works,  Vol.  i.  P.  296. 


130  DISSERTATIONSoN 

will  be  accompliraed  iriGocl's  appointed  time.  The  man  o]  jiit 
is  now  upon  the  decline,  and  he  will  be  totally  aboliflied  when 
Chrill;  fliiill  come  in  judgment.  The  kingdom  of  falfehood  and 
fm  fhall  end,  and  tlie  reign  of  truth  and  virtue  liiail  fucceed.— 
Great  IS  the  truths  andtuilly  at  \£Jky  prevail. 

The  man  of  Jin  then  is  the  fame  arbitrary  and  wicked  power 
that  is  defcribed  by  Daniel  under  the  chara(3:ers  'of  the  little  horn 
and  the  7tiighty  king.  In  St.  Paul  he  is  revealed^  when  the  Ro- 
man empire  is  taken  out  of  the  %vay\  and  in  Daniel  the  Roman 
empire  is  firft  broken  into  feveral  kingdoms,  and  he  cometh  up- 
a:ii::ng  them.  In  St.  Paul  he  oppofeth-,  and  in  Daniel  he  doeth 
according  to  his  luilly  and  weareth  out  the  faitits  of  the  Moji 
High.  In  St.  Paul  he  exalteth  himfelf  above  all  that  is  called 
God^  or  that  is  vjorjhipped^  Jhoiving  himfelfthat  he  is  God:  and 
in  Daniel  he  exalteth  himfslf^  and  magnlfeth  hi raf elf  above  every. 
God^  and  fpeaketh  marvellous  things  againji  the  God  of  Gods. 
In  S:.  Paul  he  is  the  lawlefs  one\  and  in  Daniel  he  changeth 
times  and  laws.  In  St.  Paul  his  coming  is  with  all  deceivable- 
Tiefs  ofunrinhfeotifnfifs\  and  in  Daniel  he  pYatlifeth  and  prof 
pereth,  and  through  his  policy  caufeth  craft  to  profper  in  his  hand. 
According  to  St.  Paul  the  LordffiG.ll  confume  Mm  with  thefpi* 
rit  of  his  mouth,  andfiall  dfiroy  him  with  the  brightnefs  of  his 
coming;  aiid  according  to  Daniel  a  fiery  fr earn  fiall  iff ut  and 
come  forth  from  the  judge,  and  his  body  fhall  be  given  to  th& 
burning  f^ime  and  they  fall  lake  away  his  dominion,  to  con- 
fume,  and  to  dfiroy  it  unto  the  end.  The  ctiaraclers  and  cir- 
cum fiances  arc  fj  much  the  fame,  that  they  mufh  belong  to  one 
and  the  fame  perfon. 

The  tyrannical  power  tluis  d::fcribed  by  Daniel  and  St.  Paul,. 
rjid  afterwards  by  St.  John,  is,  both  by  ancients  and  moderns^ 
gen:rally  dcnoiiiinated  Antic hr if  i  and  the  name  is  proper 
and  exprefTive  enough,  as  it  may  {I'^Viiij  (5)  both  the  eneyn-^  of 
Chriji,  and  the  vicar  of  Chnjl :  and  no  one  is  tnore  the  enemy 
of  Chrill:  than  he  who  arrop;ates,.his  nLime  and  power,  as  no  one 
more  direflly  cpp-fes  the  king  than  he  who  afTumcs  his  title 
and  authority.  I'lie  name  began  to  prevail  in  St.  John's  time. 
For  he  addrefieth  himfelf  to  the  Chriftians  as  having  heard  of 
the  coming  of  Aiiticlu-ifl.  and  callcth  the  heretics  of  ]\is  time  b/ 
the  fame  common  name:   i  Jiph.  ii.  18,  22.  "  As  ye  have  heari 

NOTES. 

(5)  The  Greek  (i.'nififs — nro,  vice,  loco,  as  we'l  a^  conrra,  c  regionC) 
ex  adverfo;  and  alfo  it  ligniiies  protex,  iikewifc  proconful. 


THE     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  131 

*'  that  the  Aiitichrift  fliall  come,  even  now  are  there  niany  An- 
*^  tichriib:  Who  is  a  liar  but  he  that  dciiicth  that  Jellis  is  the 
*'  Chriil?  he  is  the  Antichrift  that  denicth  the  Father  and  the 
^'  Son."  As  St.  Paul  hath  faid,  The  myjitry  of  inUjuity  doth  al- 
ready work\  fo  St.  John  fpeaketh  of  the  fpirit  of  Antichrifl:  as 
then  In  the  worlds  iv.  3.  "  7'his  is  that  Ipirit  of  Antichrift, 
*'  whereof  you  have  heard  that  it  fho'jld  c  me,  and  even  now 
<'  already  is  it  in  the  world."  Afterwards,  2  En.  7,  8,  he  '^W^ 
eth  him  emphatically  "  the  deceiver  and  the  Antichriit,"  and 
warneth  the  Chriftians  to  "  look  to  themfelves."  The  fathers 
too.fpeak  of  Antic krzji  and  of  tlu  man  oj  fin  as  one  and  the  fame 
perfon;  and  give  much  the  fame  interpretation  that  hath  here 
been  given  of  the  whole  paflage:  only  it  is  not  to  be  fuppofed, 
that  they  who  wrote  before  the  events,  could  be  fo  very  exacbt  in 
the  application  of  each  particular,  as  thofe  who  have  the  ad\'an- 
tage  of  writing  after  the  e  vents,  and  of  comparing  the  jrophecy 
and  completion  together. 

Juftin  Martyr,  who  Houriijied  before  the  middle  of  the  fe- 
cond  century,  (6)  confiders  the  man  offm^  or  as  he  elfev/here 
calleth  him  tkz  man  ofblafphejny^  as  altogether  the  famie  with 
the  li  tie  horn  in  Daniel;  and  aiTirms  that  he  who  fliall  fpeak 
blafphemous  words  againil:  the  aMcfl  High,  is  now  at  thedoorr. 
Irenaeus,  who  lived  in  the  fame  century,  hath  written  (7)  a 
whole  chapter  of  the  fraud,  2nd  pride,  and  tyrannical  reign  cf 
Antichrifl:,  as  they  are  defcribcd  by  Daniel,  and  St.  Paul,  in 
his  fecond  Epifile  to  the  Theilalonians.  Tertullian,  who  be- 
came famous  at  the  latter  end  of  the  fame  century,  expounding 
thofe  v/ords,  only  he  who  now  Idteth  will  let,  until  he  be  tahai 
out  of  the  way,  (8)  fays,  "  Who  can  this  be,  but  the  Roman 
*'  ftate,  the  divifion  of  which  into  ten  kingdoms,  will  brino;  on 
*^  Amiciirlfl:,  and  then  the  wicked  one  fnall  be  revealed.     And 


N     O    T     F 


C6)  Dial,  euro  Tryph.  P.  250.  Fo;t.  Paris,  P.  201.  Eflt.  Thi.jbii. 
Ff.qae  qui  impic  et  ten-!er;>rle  maledic^ra  in  'Xltifiinnn^  pioMcutuius  til, 
jam  pro  foiibus  affiftcnte.  Vide  ctiam,  P.  3  i6.  Edit  Pari?,  P  3-1.  Edit. 
Thirl'  il.^ 

(7)  AdveiTiis  ITjurefes,  Lib.  ?,  Cao.  2?.  Antichrifri  fraus,  fuoerbia, 
ct  tyrannicom  regnum,  pioiu  a  Dunicle  et  Fauk)  dclciipiafunv,  P.  437. 
rdit.  Grahe. 

(8)  Q^is,  nil!  Romanus  fhitiis?  cujus  abfcellio  in  decern  reges  difper- 
{■A  Antichrittum  fnperdiicct,  cr  tunc  revelabitui  iniquus.  De  Rcfuri*;^. 
Carnis,     Cap.  24,  P.  340.    Edit.  Rigaltii.  Paris,  iG-^- 


132  DISSERTATIONSoN 

in  his  Apology  he  (9)  affigns  It  as  a  particular  reafcn  v/hy  the 
Chriftians  prayed  for  the  Roman  empire,  becaufe  they  knew 
that  the  greateit  calamity  hanging  over  the  world,  was  retarded 
by  the  continuance  of  it. 

Origen,  the  moil  learned  father,  and  ableft  writer  of  the  third 
century,  (i)  recites  this  paflage  at  large,  as  fpoken  of  him  who 
is  called  Antichrift,  To  the  fame  purpofe  he  likewlfe  alledges 
the  words  of  Daniel,  as  truly  divine  and  prophetic.  Daniel  and 
St.  Paul,  according  to  him,  both  prophelied  of  the  fame  perfon. 

Ladtantius,  v/ho  flourifhed  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth 
century,  defcribes  Antichrift  in  the  fame  manner,  and  alm.oft  in 
the  fame  terms  as  St.  Paul;  and  (2)  concludes,  '*  This  is  he, 
«  who  is  called  Antichrift,  but  fhall  feign  himfelf  tobe  Chrii}, 
"  .and  fliall  fight  againft  the  truth."  A  fliorter  and  fuller  cha- 
ra6i:er  of  the  vicar  of  Ch.rift  could  not  be  drav/n  even  by  a  pro- 
teftant.  Cyril  of  Jerufalem,  in  the  fame  century,  alledges  this 
paftage  of  St.  Paul,  together  v/ith  orher  prophecies  concerning 
Antichrift,  and  (3)  fays,  that  "  This  the  predicted  Antichrift 
"  will  come,  vWien  the  times  of  the  Roman  empire  fhali  be 
*'  fulfilled,  and  the  confummation  of  the  world  fhall  approach. 
''  Ten  kings  of  the  Ronnans  fliall  arife  together,  in  different 
"  places  indeed,  but  they  ftiall  reign  at  the  fame  time.  A*i)OMg 
"  thefe,  the  eleventh  is  Antichrift,  v/ho  by  magical  and  v/icked 
'*  artifice,  fliall  feize  the  Roman  pov/er."  Atnbrofe,  archbifliop 
of  Milan,  in  the  fame  century,  or  Hilary,  the  deacon,  or  the 
author  (v/hoever  he  v/as)  of  the  comment  upon  St,  Paul's  epif- 
ties,  which  pafi'eth  under  the  name  of  St.  Awbrofe,  propofes 
much  the  fame  interpretation,  and  (4)  affirms,  that  after  the  fail- 
ing or  decay  of  the  Romaji  empire,  Antichrift  fhall  appear..    ■ 

NOTES. 

(9)  Eft  et  alia  major  nece/Titas  nobis  orandi  pro  imperatorihus,  etiaiti 
pro  omniftatu  imperii,  rebuf'^iie  Romanis,  qui  vini  rnuxirnani  unlverfo 
orbi  imminentem — Romani  iraperii  commeatu  fcimus  retaidari.  ApoL 
Cap.  3 X,  P.  27.    Ibid. 

( 1 )  Contra  Celfum,  Lib.  6,  P.  668.     Opera  Tom.  i.  Edit.  Benedia. 

(2)  Ilic  eft  autem,  qui  appellatiir  AntichrilTus:  i\d  le  iple  Chriftum 
mentietur,  et  contra  verum  dimicabit.     Laftant.  Lib.  7,  Cap.  19. 

(3)  Vniiei  aL'teni  hio  prt^diclus  Antichriftur.,  cum  in:plcta  fuerint 
tcmpora  imperii  Romani,  et  mundi  confcrnmaiio  arpropinqu.-b;t.  De- 
cern fimul  rcp;es  Romanorum  excit;'.b*.intnr,  in  diverlis  quideni  locis,  eo-> 
dem  tanien  tempore  regnantes.  Poft  iltos  autem  undecimus  Anticlirif- 
tus,  per  ma;^icum  malcficinm  Uomanorum  poteftaLem  rapiet.  Catch, 
15,  Cap.  5,  P.  an.    Edit.  i\jiiies.     Oxon.i7©3. 

(4)  Poft  defedum  rej^ni  Konaai  appaiiturum  Amichriftum,  &c» 
Ambrof.  in  locum. 


tHE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  5.  133 

Jerome,  Auftin,  aiid  Chryfoftom  flouriflied  in  the  latter  end 
of  the  fourth,  or  the  beginning  of  the  fifih  century.     St.  Je- 
rome, in  his  explanation  of  this  paflage,  (5)  fays,  that  Anti- 
chrift  "  fhall  fit  in  the  temple  of  God,  either  at.  Jerufalem,  as 
"  fome  imagine,  or  in  the  church,  as  we  more  truly  judge,  fhow- 
"  lug  himfelf  that  he  is  Chrift,  and  the  Son  of  God:  and  un- 
"  lefs,  the  Roman  empire  be  firft  defolated,  and  Antichrift  pre- 
"  cede,   Chrift  fhall  not  come — Jnd  ?jozu  ye  knozu  what  with^ 
«  holdeth  that  he  might  be  revealed  in  his  time;  that  is,  ye  know 
«  very  well  what  is  the  reafon;  why  Antichrift  doth  not  come 
«  at  prefent.     Fie  is  not  willing  to  fay  openly,  that  the  Romad 
"  empire  fhould  be  dcftroyed,  which  they  who  command  think 
"  to  be  eternal. — For  if  he  had  faid  openly  and  boldly,  that 
"  Antichrift  fhall  not  come,  unlefs  the  Roman  empire^  be  firft 
«  deftroyed,  it  m^ight  probably  have  proved  the  occafion  of  a 
"  perfecution  againft  the  church."     Jerome  was  himfelf  a  wit- 
nefs  to  the  barbarous  nations  beginning  to  tear  in  pieces  the 
Roman  empire,  and  upon  this  occalion  (6)  exclaim.s,  "  He  who 
"  hindered  is  taken  out  of  the  way,  and   we  do  not  confider 
"  that  Antichrift  approaches,  whom  the  Lord  Jefus  fhall  con- 
"  fume   with   the   Ipirit   of  his    mouth.     St.    Auftin   having 
cited  this   pafTage,   (7)   af?.rms,  that  "  No  one  queftions  that 
«  the  apoftle  fpoke  thefe  things  concerning  Antichrift:  and  the 

NOTES. 

(.5)  Et  in  templo  Dei,  vel  Jerofolymis  (ut  quldam  putant)  vel  in  ec- 
clefia  (ut  verius  arbitramur)  federit,  oftendens  fe  tanquam  ipfe  fit  Cbnf- 
tus  et  I'ilius  Dei;  Nifi,  inqiiit,  fuerit  Romanum  Imperium  ante  defo- 
latum,  et  Antichriftus  prcsceilerir,  Chriftus  non  veniet. — Et  nunc  quid 
detineat,  fcitis,  ut  reveletur  in  fuo  tempore;  hoc  eft,  qux  caula  fit,  ut 
Antichriftus  in  prsefentiarum  non  veniat,  optima  noftis.  Nee  vult  aper- 
te  dicere  Romanum  imperium  deftruendum,  quod  ipfi  qui  imperant, 
jeternum  putant. — Si  enim  aperte  audadkrqne  dixiflet,  non  veniet  An- 
tichriftus, nifi  prius  Romanum  deleatur  imperium,  jufta  caula  perfecu- 
tionis  in  orientem  tunc  ecclefiam  confurgere  videbatur.  Algafix  Queft. 
II.  Col.  209.  Prior  Pars.  Tcm.  4.  Edit.  Benedi^:. 

(6)  Qui  Tcnebat,  de  medio  fit,  et  non  intelligimus  Amichriftum  ap- 
propinquare,  quern  Dominus  Jefus  Chiiftus  interficiet  fpiritu  oris  fui. 
Ad  Ageruchiani  de  Monogamia,  Col.  748.  Secund.  Pars.  Tom.  4. 

(7)  Nulli  dubium  eft,  eum  de  Antichrifto  if^adixiiTe;  diemqueju- 
dicii  (hunc  enim  appellat  diem  Dom"ni)  non  eft*^  venturum,  mfi  ille 
prior  venerit — Et  nunc  quid  detineat  icitus — Quidam  putant  hoc  de  im- 
perio  diflum  fuiiTe  Romauo;  et  propterea  Paulum  apoftolum  non  id  a- 
perte  fcribere  voluifle,  ne  calumniam  videlicet  incurreret  quod  Romano 
imperio  male  optaverit,  cum  fperaretur  of'ternum.  De  Civitat.  Dei.  Lib. 
ao.  Cap.  19.  Col.  4ji.  Tom.  7.  £dit.  Benedid.  Antwerp. 


134 


DISSERTATIONS  ot^ 


«  day  of  judgment  (for  this  he  calleth  the  day  of  the  Lord} 
«  ihould  not  come,  unlcfs  Antichrift  come  flrfi. — And  now  ye 
«  kfioiv  what  lu'ithholdeth. — Some  think  this  was  fpoken  of  the 
"  Roman  empire;  and  therefore  the  apollle  was  not  willing 
*'  to  write  it  openlv,  left  he  fliould  incur  a  praemunire,  and  be 
"  falfely  accufed  of  wiiliing  ill  to  the  Roman  empire,  which 
"was  hoped  to  be  eternal."  St.  Chryfoftom,  in  one  of  his 
homilies  u;on  this  palTage,  fpeaking  of  what  hindered  the  re- 
velation of  Antichrift,  (8j  allcrts,  that  "  when  the  Roman  em- 
"  pire  liirJl  be  taken  out  of  the  way,  then  he  Ihali  come:  and 
*'  it  is  very  likely:  for  as  lon>^  as  the  dread  of  this  empire  fiiail 
"  remain,  no  one  fhall  quickly  be  fublfituted;  but  v/hen  this 
"  ihall  bo  difTolved,  he  fhall  feize  on  the  vacant  empire,  and 
"  ihall  endeavor  to  aflume  the  power  both  of  God  and  n^en." 
And  who  has  feized  on  the  vr.cant  empire  in  Rome,  and  affum- 
ed  the  power  both  of  God  and  man,  let  the  v/orld  judge. 

In  this  manner  thefc  ajicicnt  and  venerable  fathers  expound 
this  pifiage;  and  in  all  probability  they  had  learned  by  tradi- 
tion lTo:n  the  a;;oftle,  or  from  the  church  of  the  Theflalonians, 
that  what  retarded  the  revelation  of  Antic'iriO,  was  the  Roman 
empire;  but  when  the  Roman  empire  fhould  be  broken  in 
pieces,  and  be  no  lon^^er  able  to  withhold  him,  then  he  fhould 
appear  in  the  Chriftian  church,  and  domineer  principally  in  the 
church  of  Rome.  Even  in  the  opinion  of  a  bifoop  of  Rome, 
Gregory  the  Great,  who  fat  in  the  chair  ^t  the  end  of  the  fixth 
century,  whofoever  alTecled  the  title  of  Uiiiverfal  Bifliop,  he 
was  Antichrill,  or  the  forerunner  of  Antichrill.  *^  I  fpcak  it 
"  confidently,  fa3s  (9)  he,  that  v/hofiever  calleth  himfelf  Uni- 
"  verfal  Bilhop,  or  defireth  fo  to  be  called,  in  the  pride  of  hi^ 


NOTES. 

(8)  Q^ando  Romanorum  iinpcilum  de  medio  fiierit.  fuhlatum,  tunc 
ille  vtniet.  Kt  merito  quarndiu  enini  fuerii  metus  hujus  imperii,  n^nto 
cito  fubjicietur.  Qu^ando  autein  hoc  fuciItevcifLin],  viicdns  invadit  ini- 
perium,  hominumque  et  Dei  impeiium  aggrcdietur  rapcre.  Jn  locum, 
P.  530,  Tom.  II.  Edit.  Ik'nedi<?[. 

((;)  Ergo  fidtnter  dico,  quod  qulfquls  fe  univerfalem  facerdotem  vo- 
cat,  vci  vocari  defiderat,  in  elat'oiie  uia  ^ntlchriihini  pra'ciiirit.  Lib. 
6,  Epifl.  ^o.  Kx  hac  ejus  fuperbia  quid  aliud,  niii  proj)in(]ua  jam  cfle 
Antichrifti  tempora  defignauir.  Lib.  4,  Epiil.  .';4  Rex  fuperbis  pro- 
pe  ell;  et,  quod  did  nefas  efl",  iaccrdotam  eft  praeparatus  cxcrcitus. 
Lib.  4,  ibid.  See  Jewel's  D'-feiico  of  the  Apology.  Part.  4,  Cap.  16, 
P.  413.  r.arrow'sTreadfe  of  the  Pope's  Supienidcy,Suppof.  j,  P.  113, 
lidit.  i6r.j. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  135 

«  heart,  he  doth  forerun  Antichrift."     When  John,  then  Bifh- 
op  of  Conftantinople,  firft  ufiirpcd  this  title,  Gregory  made  an- 
fvver,  "  By  this  pride  of  his,  what  thing  elfc  is  fignified,  but  that 
"  the  time  of  Antichrifl  is  now  at  hand?"     Again  he  fays,  up- 
on the  fame  occafion",  "  The  king  of  pride  (that  is,  Antichrift) 
"  approacheth;  and  v/hat  is  wicked  to  be  fpoken,  an  army  of 
"  priefts   is   prepared."     When   the   papal  do6trines   and   the 
papal  authority  prevailed  over  all,  it  was  natural  to  think  and 
expect  that  the  true  notion  of  Antichrifl  would  be  ftifled,  and 
that  the  do£iors  of  the  church  v/ould  endeavor  to  give  another 
turn  and  interpretation  to  this  pafFage.     That  night  of  igno- 
rance was  fo  thick  and  dark,  that  there  was  hardly  here  and 
there  a  fmgle  ftar  to  be  ken  m  the  whole  hemifphere.     But  no 
fooner  was  there  any  glimmering  or  dawning  of  a  reformation, 
than  tjie  true  notion  of  Antichrii-l-,  which  had  been  fo  long 
fupprelTed,  broke  out  again.     As  early  as  the  year  one  thoufand 
one  hundred  and  twenty,  a  treatife  was  publifned  concerning 
Antichrilf,  wherein  (i)  the  faithful  are  admonifhed,  that  "  the 
•"  great  Antichrilt  was  long  ago  come,  in  vain  was  he  ftill  ex- 
"  pe6ted;  he  was  now,  by  the  permiffion  of  God,  advanced  in 
"years."     And  the  author,  having  defcribed- the  corrupt  ftate 
of  the  church,  at  that  time,  fays  afterwards,  "  This  ftate  of  men 
"  (not  a  fmgle  man)  is  Antichrift,  the  whore  of  Babylon,  the 
"  fourth  beaft  of  Daniel,  (to  wit,  in  his  laft  Hate,  as  it  is  faid) 
"  that  man  of  fm  and  fon  of  perdition,  who  is  exalted  above 
"every  God,  fo  that  he  fitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  that  is 
"  the  church,  (howino;  himfelf  that  he  is  God;  who  is  now 
«  come  v/ith  all  kind  of  feducStion,  and  lies  in  thofe  v/ho  perifh." 
The  Waldenfes  and  Albigenfes  propagated  the  fame  opinions 
in  the  fame  century.     That  the  Pope  was  Antichrift,  was  in- 
deed the  general  do6lrine  of  the  firft  reformers  every  where. — • 


NOTES.     . 

•  (i)  Anno  Domini  ir^o — emiffus  eft  rniifl-atns  de  Antiehrifto. — Iri 
hoc  libro  admonentur  fideles  "  Antiphriftum  ilium  magnum  jamdudura 
**  venifTe,  fruftra  adhuc  exfpeclari,  elfe  jam  Dei  permiflione  state  pro- 

*'  vedum: Hunc  hominum  ftatum  (non  (ingnlarem  hominem)  efle 

*'  Antichriftum,  meretricem  Babylonicam,  quartam  beftiam  Danielis, 
*'  (nempein  ftatu  ejus  noviffimo,  ut  didium  eft)  hominem  ilium  pecca- 
**  ti,  et  filium  perciitionis,  qui  extollitur  fuper  omnem  Denm,  ita  ut  in 
*'  ternplo  Dei,  id  eft,  ecclefia,  fedeat,  oftendens  fe  tanquam  fit  peus; 
**  qui  jam  venit  in  omni  genere  fe(lL]<5lionis  et  menclacii  in  iis  qui  pe- 
"  Veunt.''    Mede's  Works,  B.  3.    De  numtris  Daajelis,  P.  711,  7»a, 


,36  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

Here  in  England  it  was  (2)  advanced  by  Wickiiff,  and  was  learn* 
edly  e^ablifhed  by  that  great  able  champion  of  the  Reformation, 
Biiiiop  Jewel,  in  his  Apology  and  Defence,  and  more  largely 
in  his  Expofition  upvon  the  two  Epiftles  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Thef- 
falonians>*  This  do6^rine  contributed  not  a  little  to  promote 
the  Reformation;  and  wherefoever  the  one  prevailed,  the  other 
prevailed  alfo. 

Such  doftrine  as.  this  mufl:  neceffarily  give  great  offence  to 
the  bi<^ots  and  devotees  of  the  church  of  Rome:  and  no  won- 
der, therefore,  that  (3)  in  the  laft  Latcran  council  the  Pope  gave 
ftrait  commandment  to  all  preachers,  that  no  man  fhould  pre- 
fume  once  to  fpeak  of  the  coming  of  Antichriffc.  The  king 
of  France  alfo,  (4)  with  the  advice  of  his  counfel,  interdicted, 
that  any  one  fhould  call  the  Pope  Antichrift:  and  Grotius, 
who  was  amballador  in  France  from  the  crown  of  Sweden,  in 
a  vain  hope  and  expe6lation  of  reconciling  the  difputes  and  dif- 
ferences between  Papifts  and  Proteftants,  compofed  his  treatife 
concernina;  Antichrifl:,  not  wickedly,  but  weakly;  with  an 
honeft  intention,  it  may  be  prefumed,  but,  it  is  certain,  with 
pernicious  effe£t ;  more  like  an  advocate  for  one  party,  than  a 

moderator  between  both. At  the  fame  time,  'in  England, 

thouo-h  James  the  firft  had  written  a  treatife  to  prove  the  Pope 
Antichrift,  yet  this  do6lrine  was  growing  unfafhionable  during 
his  reio-n,  and  more  fo  in  that  of  his  fon,  who  married  a  bigot- 
ed popifh  princefs;  even  while  Mr.  Mede  was  living,  who 
had  exerted  more  learning  and  fagacity  m  explaining  the  pro- 
phecies, and  in  fixing  the  true  idea  of  Antichrift,  than,  perhaps, 
any  writer  in  any  age.  Bui  probably  for  this  very  reafon  he 
was  looked  upon  with  an  evil  eye,  and  (to  the  difgrace  of  the 
times)  obtained  no  preferment,  though  he  was  eminently  de- 
fervino-  of  the  beft  and  greateft.  He  fays  himfelf,  in  one  of 
his  Letters,  Epift:le  56,  that  his  notions  about  genuflexion  to- 
wards the  altar  "  would  have  made  another  man  a  dean,  or  a 
«  prebend,  or  fomething  elfe  ere  this:  but  the  point  of  the 
«  Pope's  being  Antichrift,  as  a  dead  fly,  marred  the  favor  of 

NOTES. 

(2)  Dialoffornm  libri  4,  quorum — quartus  Romanas  ecdefiae  facra- 
mcnta,  Antichrilli  regnum,  &c.  perftringit,  Cave  Hifl;.  Litt.  Vol  3. 
Appendix,?.  63. 

(3)  Cone.  Lateran.fub  Julio  et  Leone.  Sefl*.  11.  Jewel's  Defence, 
ibid.  .  

(4)  — Prudentiflimorum  virorum  ufus  concilio  interdixjt  ne  quis  pa- 
pain Antichriftum  vocet.    Grot,  de  AntichridQ  in  principio. 


THE     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S;  is; 

*<  that  ointment."  The  abufe  alfo  that  fome  fanatics  made  of 
this  doctrine  greatly  prejudiced  the  world  againft  it.  It  was 
efteemed  a  mark  of  a  puritan,  and  was  a  certain  obftacle  to  pre- 
ferment, for  any  man  to  preach  that  the  Pope  was  Antichrift: 
and  Dr.  Montague,  a  famous  co;u-t-chaplain  at  that  time,  who 
endeavored  to  prove  that  the  power  of  the  king  was  abfolute,. 
(5)  endeavored  alfo  to  prove,  that  the  notes  and  characljrs  of 
Antichriii:  belonged  to  the  Turk  rather  than  to  the  Pope:  and 
herein  he  was  followed  by  feveral  divines,  and  by  no  Jeis  a  m,ari 
than  Bifhop  Fell,  if  he  was  the  compiler  or  approver  (as  he  is 
commonly  faid  to  have  been)  of  (6)  the  Paraphrafe  and  Anno- 
tations upon  all  St.  Paul's  Epiftlcs.  There  are  fafnions  in  di- 
vinity as  well  as  in  every  thing  clfe;  and  therefore  the  true 
doctrine  of  Antichrift  was,  for  fome  time,  fufpended,  and  falfe 
hypothecs  v/ere  invented;  and  may  furprife  any  one,  that  (o  lit- 
tle was  faid  upon  this  fubjciS!:  in  tlic  long  controverfie^  concern- 
ing popery  during  the  reigns  of  Charles  znd  James  the  fecond. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  truth  is  now  emerging  again.  Some  laud- 
able (7)  attempts  have  lately  been  made  to  revive  and  reftore  it: 
and  if  I  have  not  proved  that  this  interpretation  is  preferable  to 
all  others,  I  have  taken  pains,  and  proved  nothing. 

But  it  hath  been  proved,  as  I  conceive,  that  this  is  the  2;enu- 
ine  fenfe  and  meaning  of  the  apoftle,  that  this  only  is  entirely 
confiftent  v/ith  the  context,  that  every  other  interpretation  is 
forced  and  unnatura\  that  this-  is  liable  to'  no  material  objec- 
tion, that  it  coincides  perfectly  with  Daniel,  that  it  is  agreeable 
to  the  tradition  of  the  primiitivc  church,  and  that  it  hath  been 
exaftly  fulfilled  in  all  particulars,  which  cannot  be  friid  of  any 
Other  interpretation  whatfoever.  Such  a  prophecy  as  this  is  at 
once  an  iiiuftrious  proof  of  divine  revelation,  and  an  excellent 
antidote  to  the  poifon  of  popery.  It  is  like  a  two-edged  fwonl, 
that  will  cut  both  ways,  and  vv-ound  the  deift  with  one  (ide,  and 
the  papift  witK  the  other.  The  papifts  are,  in  fome  refpeB, 
like  the  Jews.  As  the  Jews  belie\  e  not  that  Chriil  is  cmey 
according  to  the  prophecies,  but  ftill  live  in  expeBation  of  him  3 

Vol.  il.  S 

NOTES. 

(<;)  See  his  book  entitled  Appcllo  CKfarem,  Part  2,  Chap.  5. 

(6)  Printed  at  the  Theatre  in  Oxford,  1684,  and  fiidto  be  publifh-' 
ed  under  the  diret^ion  oF  Bifhop  Fell. 

(7)  Mr.  Longford's  Notes  and  Chara;5ters  of  the  Man  of  Sin,  Print- 
*d  in  1746.    Dr.  Benfon's  DiiTeriaiion  concerning  the  man  of  Sir.j  ^:c. 


138  DI  S  S  E  RT  ATION  S    ON 

To  neither  do  the  papifts  perceive  that  Antichrill  is  come,  ac- 
cording to  the  prophecies,  but  Hill  maintain  that  he  fliall  arife 
hereafter,  l^he  apoftlc  not  only  foretels  this  blindnefs  and  in- 
fatuatioi  >  but  likevvife  alligns  the  reafon,  hecaufe  they  received 
7iot  the  love  of  the  ttuth^  but  had  pleafure  in  unrighieoufnefs.—^ 
But  to  the  proteftants,  v/ho  believe  and  profefs  that  both  the 
Chrift  and  Antichrift  are  come,  we  may  fay  vi-'ith  the  apoftle, 
verf.  13,  14.  "  V/e  are  bound  to  give  thanks  aiway  to  God  for 
"  you,  brethren,  beloved  of  the  Lord,  becaufe  God  hath  chofen 
"  you  to  falvation,  through  fandtilication  of  the  fpirit,  and  belief 
"  of  the  truth:  Whereunto  he  called  you  by  the  gofpel,  to  the 
"  obtaining  of  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift."  The  a- 
pollle  proceeds,  verfe  15.  "  Therefore,  brethren,  ftand  faft,  and 
"  hold  the  traditions  which  ye  have  been  taught,  whether  by 
"  word,  or  our  epiftle:"  and  certainly  there  is  not  any  oral  tra- 
dition that  hath  a  jufter  claim  to  be  thought  apof^olical,  than 
this  oi  the  ma?i  offm^s  fucceeding  upon  the  decline  of  the  Ro- 
man empire,  and  exalting  himfelf  over  all.  Wherefore,  to  con- 
clude, as  the  apoftle  concludes  the  fubjetfl,  verf.  16,  17.  "  Now 
''  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  himfelf,  and  God,  even  our  Father, 
''  who  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  us  everlafting  confola- 
"  tion,  and  good  hope,  through  grace,  comfort  your  hearts,  and 
'*  ftablifh  you  in  every  good  word  and  work.'* 


THE    PROPHECIES.  139 


XXIII. 

St.  Paul's  Prophecy  of  the  Apcjlafy  of  the  latter  Times, 


ST.  PAUL  was  a  man  of  lively  thought  and  ftrong  ima- 
gination. None  of  the  apoftles  had  a  warmer  zeal  for 
Chrift  and  the  Chriftian  religion.  He  was,  as  he  faith  him- 
feif,  2  Cor.  xi.  23,  28,  29.  iyi  labors  tnore  ahiindant\  he  had 
ihe  care  of  all  the  churches.  Who  is  zveak^  faith  he,  and  I  am 
not  weak?  IVho  is  offended-^  and  I  burn  not?  It  was  natural  for 
fuch  a  miind  to  be  deeply  afFed:ed  with  the  forefight  of  the  great 
apollafy  of  Chriftians  from  the  true  Chriilian  faith  and  v/or- 
{hip,  and  to  lament  it,  and  to  forewarn  his  difciples  of  it,  as 
often  as  there  was  occafion.  Ke  m.ade  this  apoftafy  one  topic 
of  his  difcourfe  to  the  Thefliilonians,  while  he  was  yet  with 
them:  and  afterwards,  in  his  fecond  Epiftle  to  them,  he  gave 
them  to  underftand  that  the  day  of  Chrijl  was  not  at  hand^  as 
they  apprehended;  for  there  jhould  come  the  apojiafy  firji;  im- 
plying that  it  ihould  be  both  extenfive,  and  of  long  duration.— 
He  mentions  this  apoftafy  again  in  his  firil  Epiftle  to  Timothy, 
and  defcribes  more  particularly  wherein  it  fhould  confift,  and 
at  what  time,  and  by  what  means  it  fliould  be  propagated  and 
advanced  in  the  world,  i  Tim.  iv.  i,  2,  3.  "  Now  the  Spirit 
"  fpeaketh  exprefly,  that  in  the  latter  times  fom^e  fhall  depart 
''  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  feducing  fpirits,  and  do&ines 
"  of  devils,  fpeaking  lies  in  hypocrify,  having  their  confcience 
"  feared  v/ith  a  hot  iron;  forbidding  to  marry,  and  com.mand- 
"  ing  to  abftain  from  meats,  which  God  hath  created  to  be  re- 
"  ccived  with  thankfgiving  of  them  which  believe  and  knov/ 
"  the  truth."  The  paffage,  perhaps,  may  better  be  tranflated 
thus.  But  the  Spirit  fpeaketh  exprefy\  he  had  been  fpeaking 
before  of  the  myjlery  of  godlincfs^  and  now  he  proceeds  to  fpeak 
of  the  myjlery  of  iniquity .^  in  oppofition  to  it.  But  the  Spirit 
fpeaketh  exprcjly^  that  in  the  latter  times  fo7ne  Jlmll  apojiatife 
from  ihe  faith^  gi^'^ii^g  heed  to  erroneous  fpirits^  and  do^rincs 
concerning  damons\  throngh  the  hypocrify  of  liarSy  having  their 


140  piSSERTATIONSoN 

confcience  feared  ivith  a  hot  iron\  forbidding  to  marry ^  and  com-^ 
manding  to  at/lain  fro7n  mcats^  ivhich  God  hath  created  to  he  re- 
ceived zvith  thankf/iving  by  the  believers  and  them  who  know  the 
truth,  I'his  traiillation  will  be  jultified  by  the  follov/ing  con- 
fiderations,  wherein  it  is  propored  to  {how  the  true  interpreta- 
tion and  exa6t  completion  of  this  prophecy.  But  this  fubjeA  hath 
been  lb  fully  and  learnedly  difcufied  by  the  excellent  (i)  Mr. 
Mede,  tnarwe  rnuft  be  greatly  obliged  to  him  in  the  courfe  of 
this  diiiertation.  The  drefs  and  clothing  mav  be  fomewhat  dif- 
ferent, biiL  the  body  and  fubHance  mufl:  be  much  the  f:;me:  and 
they  mud  be  referred  to  his  works,  who  are  defirous  of  obtnin- 
\x\g  farther  fatisfaction.  Not  that  we  would  make  a  tranfcript 
only  of  any  writer;  we  ihould  hope  to  enforce  and  improve  the 
fubjeil  by  fome  new  arguments  and  new  illuftrations;  as  every 
jcribe  inJhiiSled  unto  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (Matt.  xiii.  52.)  is 
like  urdo  a  man  that  is  a  hoi(JJ)oIder^  tvho  bringeth  forth  out  of 
i>is  treafure  things  nevj  as  well  as  old. 

I.  The  firft  thing  to  be  confidered  is  tlie  apoftafy  here  pre- 
cli6ied;  Some  JJiaU  depart^  or  rather Jhall  apojiatife.  from  the 
faith.  1'he  apolUe  had  predi6led  the  fame  thing  before  to  the 
Thefuilonians;  The  day  of  Chrijl  fjialt  not  come,  except  there 
covii  a  falling  away,  or  rather  the  apojiafyfirji.  In  the  origin 
3jal,  the  words  are  of  the  fame  import  and  derivation;  and 
ihey. ihould  have  been  tranfiated  both  alike,  as  the  famie  thing 
wa5  intended  in  both  places.  An  apojiajy  from  the  faith  may 
be  total  or  partial,  eitner  when  we  renounce  the  whole,  or 
when  we  deny  fome  principal  and  eflentiai  article  of  it.  The 
writers  of  the  New  Teilarncnt  frequently  derive  their  language 
51s  well  as  their  idvas  from  the  Old:  and  by  considering  what 
v/as  accounted  apofiafy  under  the  Mofaical  oeconomy,  we  may 
form  the  better  notion  of  what  it  is  under  the  ChriiHan  dif- 
penfaticn.  It  doth  not  appear  that  the  Jev/s  or  Ifraelites  ever 
totally  renounced  and  abandoncd'the  living  and  true  God;  he 
revcr  ceafcd  altogether  to  be  their  God,  or  they  to  be  his  peo- 
ple: but  they  revolted  from  their  allegiance  to  God,  when 
they  worinippcd  him  in  an  image,  as  in  the  golden  calves, 
which  was  the  fm  and  apoftafy  of  Jerobpam ;  and  when  tlit^y 
worxhippcd  other  gods  beiidcs  him,  as  Baalim,  and  the  l:oil  of 


NOTE. 

^  (i)  See  Mfde's  Work?,  B.  ;,,  P.  ^'1.3  —  693.     See  likew-fe  Monf.  Ju- 
r.eu'b  Accomplilhmeniofthe  Piopiiccics,  Part  i,  Chap.  18,  19,  20,  21, 


•FHE    PROPHECIES.  14.1 

heaven,  which  was  the  fin  and  apoflafy  of  Ahab  and  ManafTah: 
and  for  the  fame  reafon  the  idolatry  of  Ahaz  is,  by  the  Greek 
interpreters,  called,  2  Chronicles  xxix'.  19.  "  his  apoftafy,"  and 
it  is  faid  ofhim,  xxviii.  19.  that  "he  apoftatiil^d  greatly  from 
«  the  Lord."  Apoftafy,  therefore,  was  idolatry  in  the  Jewifh 
church,  and  it  is  the  fame  in  the  Chriftian.  This  argument 
may  receive  fome  illudration  from  a  (2)  fmiilar  parage  in  St. 
Peter,  2  Peter  ii,  i.  "  There  were  falfe  prophets  alfo  among  the 
*•'  people,  even  as  there  fhall  be  falfe  teachers  among  you,  who 
"  privily  ihall   bring   in  damnable   herefies,  even  denying  the 

«  Lord  that  bought  them." As  there  were  falfe  prophets  a- 

mong  the  children  of  Ifrael,  who  feduced  them  to  idolatry,  and 
the  worlhipping  of  other  gods  befides  the  true  God;  (o  there 
ihall  be  falfe  teachers  among  Chriftians,  who,  by  plaufible  pre- 
tences, and  imperceptible  degrees,  Ihall  bring  in  the  like  damn- 
able herefies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them,  profef- 
fing  themfelves  to  be  his  fervants  bought  with  a  price,  and  yet 
jienying  him  to  be  their  Lord  and  maiter,  by  applying  to  ocher 
lords  and  mediators.  It  is  not  any  error,  or  even  herefy,  that  is 
apoftafy  from  the  faith.  It  is  a  revolt  in  the  principal  and  cf- 
fential  article,  when  w^e  worfhip  God  by  any  image  or  repre- 
fentation,  or  v/hen  we  worfpip  other  beings  befides  God,  and 
pray  unto  other  mediators  befides  the  one  mediator  between  God 
find  men,  the  man  Chriji  Jefus.  This  is  the  very  eflence  of 
Chriftian  worfhip,  to  worlhip  the  one  true  God,  through  the 
true  Chrift;  and  to  worftiip  any  other  God,  or  any  other  me- 
diator, is  apoftafy  and  rebellion  againft  God,  and  againft  Chrift. 
It  is,  as  St.  Paul  faith,  CololTians  ii.  19.  "  not  holding  the  head," 
but  depending  upon  other  heads:  It  is,  as  St.  Peter  exprcfleth 
It,  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  us,  and  ferving  other  lords: 
and  the  denial  of  fuch  an  efifential  part  may  as  properly  be  cal- 
led apojiafy,  as  if  we  were  to  renounce  the  v/hole  Chriftian  faith 
and  worlhip.  It  is  renouncing  them  in  effect,  and  not  treating 
and  regarding  God  as  God,  or  Chrift  as  ChriR. 

Such  is  the  nature  of  apojlafyfrom  thejaith\  and  it  is  im- 
plied that  this  apoftafy  ftiould  be  general,  and  infe6i  great  num- 
.  iDcrs.     For   though  it  be  faid  only  fomejliallapojiatife,  yet  by 
Jome  in  this   place   many  are  undcrftood.     The  word  jome  may 
ulually  denotey^t^  in  Engliih;  but   in  the  learned  lans;ua-^cs  it 
frequently  fignifies  a  multitude,  and  there  are  abundant  inftan- 

N    O    T    £. 

(a)  See  Mode's  Difcourfe xliii.  upon  this  text,  P.  238,  f<:c. 


142  DISSERTATIONSoNT 

ces  in  fcrlpture.     In  St.  John's  Gofpel  it  is  faid,  vi.  6o.  that 
''many  of  Jefus's  difciples,  v/hen   they  had  heard  this,  faid, 
"  This  is  a  hard  faying,  who  can  hear  it?"  and  again  a  little 
aftcn^'ards,  verfe  66.     "  Many  of  his  difciples  went  back,  and 
"walked  ,no  more  with  him:*'  but  Jefus  himfelf  fpeaking  of 
thefe  many  faith,  verfe  64.     "  There  are  fome  of  you  that  be- 
"  licve  notj"  {o  xh?it  Jorne  are  plainly  the  fame  as  many.     St. 
Paul  fpeakiHg  of  the  infidelity  and  rejedion  of  the  Jews  faith, 
Ramans  xi.  17.  that  "  fome  of  the  branches  are  broken  ofF:" 
but  thofo  Jome^  it  was  evident,  were  the  main  body  of  the  na- 
tion,    l^he  fame  apoflle  informs  the  Corinthians,  i  Corinthians 
X.  5,  6.  that  "  With  many  of  the  Ifraelites  God  was  not  well 
*'■  pleafcd;  for  they  were  overthrown   in  the  wildernefs:"  and 
their  punifhments  vi^ere  intended  for  examples  to  Chriftians. — 
Wherefore  he  concludes,  verfe  7.  "  Neither  be  ye  idolaters,  as 
*'  were  fome  of  them;  as  it  is  written,  The  people  fatdov/n  to 
*'  eat  and  drink,  and  rofe  up  to  play:"  where  fome  are  manifeft- 
\y  the  fame  as  the  people.  Again,  verfe  8.  "  Neither  let  us  com- 
"  mit  fornication,  as  fom.e  of  them  committed,  and  fell  in  one 
"•  day  three  and  twenty  thoufand:  where  fome  are  equivalent  to 
many  ihoufands.  Again,  verfe  9.  "  Neither  let  us  tempt  Chrift, 
"  as  fome  of  them  alfo  tempted,  and  were  deftroyed  of  ferpents:" 
wh^re fo?ne  are  the  fame  with  muck  people;  for  we  read,  Num- 
bers xxi.  6.  that  "  the  Lord  fent  fiery  ferpents  among  the  peo- 
*'  pie  J  and  they  bit  the  people,  and  much  people  of  Ifrael  died." 
And   again,  verfe  lO.  "  Neither  murmur  ye,  as  fome  of  them 
"  alfo  murmured,  and  v/ere  deftroyed  of  the  deftroyer:"  where 
fb/ne  are  the  fame  with  all  ike  congregation  except  Jolhua  and 
Caleb;  for  v/e  read,  Numbers  xiv.  i,  2.  that  "  All  the  con- 
"  gregation  lifted  up  their  voice,  and  cried;  and  the  people  wept 
"  that  night:  And  ail  the  children  of  Ifrael  murmured  again (l 
"  Mofcs,  and  againlt  Aaron;  and  the  whole  congregation  faid 
*'  unto  them.  Would  God  that  we  had  died  in  the  land  of  E- 
"  gvpt>  or  would  God  we  had  died  in  this  wilderncfs:  and  they 
had  their  wilh,  for  except  Jo(hua  and  Caleb,  they  all  died  in  the 
v.'ildcrncfs.     So?fie  therefore  may  ftgnify  many,  but  not  all;  as 
the   aj)o(lle  fpcakcth  clfewhere,  Hebrews  iii.  16.  "  For  fome,* 
"  when  they  had  heard,  did  provoke;  howbcitnot  all  that  came 
"  out  of  Egypt  by  Mofes."     Tlie  anoftlc  might  have  tlie  fame 
meaning  in  thii?  place;  and  this  apoftafv  may  be   general  and 
cxti^iifivr,  aJid  include  ?/iafiy  but  not  all.     If  only  fome  kv^  per- 
funs  v/cic  to  be  concerned  and  engaged  in  it,  it  was  fcarcely 


THE    PROPHECIES.  1^3 

an  obje6i  worthy  of  prophecy:  nor  could  that .  properly  be 
pointed  out  as  a  peculiarity  of  the  latter  times^  which  is  com- 
mon to  all  times,  for  in  all  times  there  arc  fome  apoftates  or 
other.  It  muft  necefiarily  be  a  great  apoftafy;  and  it  is  called, 
as  it  hath  been  fhown^  tk.^  ^P^fii^fy  by  way  of  eminence  and  dif- 
tindlon;  but  it  would  hardly  have  been  dif!ing:)ifhed  in  this 
emphatical  manner,  if  only  an  inconfiderable  number  were  to 
profcfs  and  embrace  it.  Other  prophecies  likewife  intimate, 
that  there  fhould  be  a  great  and  general  corruption  and  apof- 
tafy  in  the  Chriftian  church ;  and  the  event  will  alfo  confirm 
us  in  our  opinion.  For  we  have  k(ixy^  and  ftill  fee  a  ^reat  part 
of  Chrirtcndom  guilty  of  the  fame  fort  of  apoftafy  and^defcaion 
as  tlie  Ifraeiites  were  in  former  times.  As  the'lfraelites  wor- 
ftiipped  God  in  the  goideji  calf  and  golden  calves;  for,  Exodus 
xxxii.  5.  they  proclaimed  «  a  feall  to  the  Lord,"  and  faid,  verfe 
4.  and  I  Kings  xii.  28.  "  Behold  thy  Gods,  O  Ifrael,  which 
"brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt:"  fo  there  are 
Chriftians  who  worfnip  their  Creator  and  Redeemer  in  an  im- 
age, or  in  a  crucifix,  or  in  the  facramental  bread.  As  the  If- 
raeiites woriliipped  Baalim  or  departed  heroes,  and  as  the  Pfalm- 
ifl:  faith,  Pfalms  cvi,  28.  "ate  the  facriiices  of  the  dead:'*  ib' 
tliere  are  Chriftians  who  woriliip  departed  faints,  and  inftitute 
fafts  and  felfivals,  and  ofFer  up  prayers  and  praifes  unto  them. 
And  as  this  apollafy  overfpread'the  church  of  Ifrael  for  many 
ages,  fo  haih  it  for  many  ages  too  overfpreaJ  ^at  church  of  ChrifL 

-—The  apoftafy  therefore  is  the  very  fame  in  both  churches 

The  apoftle  forefaw  and  foretold  it;  and  upon  the  mention  of 
Ifiael-'s  provocation,  verv  properly  admoniflied  tlie  Chriftians 
to  beware  of  the  like  infidelity  and  apoftafy,  Hebrews  iii.  12. 
"  Take  heed,  brethren,  left  there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart 
^'  of  unbelief,  in  departing,  (the  Greek,  in  apoftatizing)  from 
«  the  living  God."  . 

II.  It  is  more  particularly  fhown,  wherein  this  apoftafy 
fliould  confift,  in  the  following  words,  giving  heed  to  f educing 
JpiritSy  andchttrhm  of  devils,  ox  vzth.Qx  giving  heed  to  erroneous 
jp.:ritiy  and  doctrines  concerning  d^?nons.  For  I  conceive  not 
the  meaning  to  be,  that  this  apoftafy  fhould  proceed  from  the 
fuggeftion  of  evil  fpirits  and  inftigation  of  devils.  That  would 
he  no  peculiar  mark  of  difiinaion;  that  rnii^ht  he  faid  of  any 
wickednefs  in  general,  as  well  as  of  this  in^particular.  'I'he 
means  too  by  which  this  apoftafy  fhould  be  propagated,  and  the 
pcrfons  who  fhould  propagate  it,  are  delcribcd  afterwards^  fo 


144  DISSERTATION  Sop? 

that  this  part  is  to  be  underftoodratherof  things  than  of  per-? 
ions,  rather  of  the  matter  wherein  this  apoftafy  fhould  confifty 
than  of  the  firft  teachers  and  authors  of  it.  Spirits  feem  to  be 
much  the  fame  in  fenfe  as  do^rines^  as  Mr.  Mede  and  other 
divines  have  obferved  the  fame  word  to  be  ufed  abb  by  St^ 
John,  I  John  iv.  i.  "  Beloved,  believe  not  every  fpirit,"  that 
is,  every  doctrine,  "  but  try  the  fpirits,"  that  is,  the  dodrinesy 
"whether  they  are  of  God;  becaufe  many  falfe  prophets  are 
"  gone  out  into  the  world.'*  Spirits  and  do^rines,  therefore, 
irav  be  confidered,  the  latter  word  as  explanatory  of  the  former: 
and  error  fjinetimes  figiiifying  (3)  idolatry^  erroneous  docfrine^ 
may  comprehend  idolatrous^  as  well  ?i'i  falfe  doctrines.  But  it 
is  Hill  further  added  for  explanation,  that  thefe  doctrines  fhould 
be  do£irines  of  devils  or  of  demons',  where  the  genitive  cafe  isf 
not  to  be  taken  actively,  as  if  daemons  v/erc  the  atithors  of  thefe" 
do61rines,  but  paifively,  as  if  d^m.ons  were  the  fubjeB  of  thefe 
doctrines.  Thus  *'  the  doctrine  of  vanities"  Jeremiah  x.  8.  is 
a  do6rrlne  concerning  vanities  or  idols.  The  dodrine  of  the  Lord^ 
Acti  xiii.  12,  is  the  doctrine  concerning  him:  "  Then  the  de- 
"  puty,  when  he  favv  what  was  done,  believed,  being  aftonifhed 
"  at  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord."  "  The  doctrines  of  baitifm," 
Hebrews  vi.  2.  "  and  of  laying  on  of  hands,  and  of  the  refur- 
«  rection  of  the  dead,  and  of  eternal  judgment,"  are  doBrineS 
relating  to  all  thefe  particulars.  And  by  the  fame  conftruc- 
tion,  dotlrines  of  dainons  are  do6trines  about  and  concerning 
dremons.  This  is,  therefore,  a  pronhecy  that  the  idolatrous 
theology  of  daemons  profefled  by  the  Gentiles  fliould  be  reviv- 
ed among  Chriitians.  Chriltians  fliould  in  procefs  of  time  de- 
generate, and  refemble  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  apoftate 
Jews.  They  ihouid  not  only  apoftatizc  after  the  manner  of 
the  Jews,  but  fhould  alfo  worjlnp  damans  after  the  manner  of 
the  Gentiles. 

Daemons,  according  to  the  theology  of  the  Gentiles,  were 
middle  powers  between  the  fovereign  Gods  and  mortal  men.— 
So  faith  Plato,  the  rroit  competent  judge,  and  the  moft  con- 
fummate  writer  in  thefe  fubjects;  (4)  "  Every  daemon  is  a  mid- 
"  die  being  between  God  and  mortal  man."  Thefe  daemons 
Vv^ere  regarded  as  mediators  and  agents  between  the  Gods  and 

NOTES. 

^^)  Chaldaeis  et  Tarpiimiftis  ell  idolum:  et  eft  idola  colcre  et  fcor- 
lan.     Rom.  i.  27.     a^hclT.  ii.     i  Pet.  ii    i8.     Mede,  P.  626. 

(4)  Omnis  enim  dozmoniim  natura  inter  Deum  el  mortale  ell  inter- 
media.   Phtuais  Sympof.  P.  zoi,  Tom.  3..    lidit.  Serrani, 


THE    PROPHECIES.  t4S 

laen.  So  faith  Plato  again,  (5)  "  God  is  not  approached  by 
;"  man,  but  all  the  commerce  and  intercourle  betvyeen  Gods 
*"  and  men  is  by  the  mediation  of  d^einons.  The  daemons 
"  faith  he,  are  interpreters  and  conveyors  from  men  to  the  Gods, 
**  and  from  the  Gods  to  men,  of  the  fupplications  and  facri- 
^'  fices  on  the  one  part,  and  of  the  commands  znd  rewards  of 

^'  facrifices  on   the  other." -Apuleius,  a  later  philofopher, 

giveth  (6)  the  like  dcfcription.  "  Daemons  are  middle  powers, 
*'  by  whom  both  our  defires  and  deferts  pafs  unto  the  Gods ; 
"  they  are  carriers  between  men  on  earth  and  the  Gods  in  hea- 
*'  venj  hence  of  prayers,  thence  of  gifts;  they  convey  to  and 
*'  fro,  hence  petitions,  thence  fupplies;  or  they  are  interpre- 
"  ters  on  both  fides,  and  bearers  of  falutations:  for  it  would 
<'  not  be,  faith  he,  for  the  majefty  of  the  celeftial  Gods  to  take 
*'  care  of  thefe  things."  The  whole  is  fummed  up  by  the  faid 
Apuleius  (7)  in  few  words.  "  All  things  are  done  by  the  will, 
"  power,  and  authority  of  the  celeftial  Gods,  bat  by  the  ober 
"  dience,  fervice  and  miniftry  of  the  daemons."  Of  thefe  dae- 
mons there  were  accounted  two  kinds.  One  kind  of  daemons 
were  the  fouls  of  men  deified  or  canonized  after  death.  Sq 
Hefiod,  one  of  the  moft  ancient  heathen  writers,  if  not  the 
moft  ancient,  defcribing  that  happy  race  of  men,  who  lived  in 
the  firft  and  golden  age  of  the  world,  (8)  faith  that  "  after  this 
"  2;eneration  were  deadj  they  were,  by  the  will  of  great  Jupiter, 
Vol.  II.  T 

.NOTE    S. 

(5)  Deqsautemcumhomine  non  mifcetur,  fed  per  banc  dasmonum 
paturam  commerciura  omne  atque  eolloquiurn  inter  deos  hominefque 
conficitur.  Interpretis  et  portitoris  quafi  iiiunere  fungitur,  ut  res  huma- 
nas  ad  deos,  divinas  ad  homines  tranfinlttat:  horuin  quidem  preces  et 
facrificia,  illorum,  vero  praecepta  et  facrificiorum  rcmaneratlones.  Ibid. 
P.  202,  203. 

(6)  MedijE  potcftates,  per  quas  et  defideria  noflro  et  merita  ad  deos 
commeant,  inter  terricolas  coelicolafque  ve(5loros,  hinc  prccum,  inde  do- 
norura,  qui  ulrro  citroque  portant  hinc  petiiiones,  inde  fuppetias,  feu 
quidem  utrinque  interpreres  et  falutigeri. — Neque  enini  pro  majeftate 
deum  cceleftium  faerit,  haec  curare.  Apuleius  de  Deo  Socrates.  P.  674, 
677.     Edit.  Delph. 

(7)  Cunfia  coeleftium  voluntate,  numine,  et  authoritate,  fed  daemo* 
num  obfequio,  et  opera,  et  miniflerio  fieri  arbitrandum  eft.  Ibid.  P.  675. 

(8)  Verum  poftquam  hoc  genus  terra  abfcondit, 
I'  quidem  divi  fadii  funt,  Jovis  magni  confilio, 

Boni,  in  terris  verfantes,  cuftodes  mortalium  hominum; 
Qmi  quidem  obfervant  judicia  et  parva  opera, 
Caligme  ami<fli,  paflim  euntes  pet  terram, 
Opum  diitores:  atque  hoc  munus  regale  confecuti  funt. 

Heftod  Op.  et  Dier,  Lib.  i.  i20<. 


146  D  i  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    Q  N 

'♦  promoted  to  be  daemons,  keepers  of  mortal  mePi,  obfervers  of 
"  th.'ir  good  and  evil  works,  givers  of  riches,  &c.;  and  thi-^^ 
*^fai.h  he,  is  the  royal  honor  that  they  enjoy."     Plato  con- 
ci'.rs  with  Hefiod,  and  (9)  alTerts  that  f  he  and  many  other 
*'  poe-S  fpcak  excellently,  who  affirm  that  when  good  men  die, 
<'  thev  attain  great  lionor  and  dignjtv,  and  becoaie  daemons.'* 
Th  :"lame  Plato,  in  another  place,  ( i )  m.ain tains,  that  "  all  thofe 
"  who  die  valiantly  in  war  are  of  Hefiod's  golden  generation, 
*'  and  are  made  daemons;  and  we  ought  for  ever  afterwards  to 
"  fervs  and  adcre  tlieir  fepvilchres,  as  the  fepulchres  of  dsmons^ 
*'  The  fame  aho  we  decree,  whenever  any  of  thof",  who  were 
*'  jvidged  excellently  good  in  life,  die  either  of  old  age,  or  in 
^'  any  other  manner."     The  other  kind  of  daemons  v/ere  fuch 
as  has  never  been  the  fouls  of  men,  nor  ever  dwelt  in  mortal 
bodies.-    Thus  A  pi  lei  us  (2)  informs  us,  "  There  is  another 
^' and  higher  kind' of  demons,  who  were  always  free  from  the 
*'  incumbrances   of  the  body;  and  out  of  this  higher  order 
«  Plato  fuppofeth  diat  guardians  v/cre  appointed  unto  them." 
Ammonias,  likewife,  in  Plutarch,  (3)  reckons  two  kinds  of  dae- 
mons, "  TodIs' feparated  from  bodies,  or  fuch  as  had  never  in- 
<•'  habited  bodies  at  all.'*  Thcfc  latter  daemons  m.ay  be  pan  Jlelle4 
with  anp,els,  as  the  former  may  be  with  canonized  faints:  and  as 
we  ChriiUans  believe  that  there  are  good  and  evil  angels,  fo  did 
the  C.:r;tile3  that  there  v/cre  good  and  evil  demons.  According 

NOTES. 

(9)  Prseclare  Igitur  et  hie  et  alii  poctse,  quicunque  afTirmant  eura  qui 
bom  3  fit.  ubi  niortuus  faerit,  niagncC  cujuidarn  fortis  confe^ui  dignita- 
tem, tt  efre.,    Platonis  Cratylus,  P.  398,  Vol.  i.     Edit.  Serrani. 

( i)  Eum  vero  qui  re  piseclare  gella  in  bello  occubueiit,  nonne  dice- 
mui  Jid  genus  aureuu:i  pertinere?  Maxiiue  omnia m.  Nonne  Hellodi  fen- 
ler.tiarn  fequemur;  qtiod  videlicet  iil.i  homines  qui  ex  aureo  illo  fuerint 
j^Tocrc,  ubi  primum  laio  concefftiint, 

Diemones  exifbunt, — ^ 
I^ellquu^i  yiiteni  teriipus  corum  fcpulcra  veluti  dacmonum  colemus,  et 
riivinis  honoribus  profequemur.  Eadem  quoque  fanciemus  a';que  exhi- 
bchini'.^s  lis,  qui  quum  fingularis  cujuidam  probitatis  dignitate  excelJue- 
rint,  vtl  fcnio  vel  alio  quopum  mode  e  vita  excefierint.  Plato  de  Re- 
T^uS.  Lib.  5,  P.  4:')8,  Tom.  z.     £dit.  Serrani. 

{%)  hapcxi\is  aliud  aus;ulllnfque  dacmonum  |[^enus,  qui  femper  a  cor- 
poris conipedibus  et  nexibus  liberi — Hx  hac  fublimiori  dsEmonum  copla 
autumat  Plato  fjiigidis  hominibus  in  vita  agenda  telles  et  cuftodes  figu- 
ios  aHditos.     Anurias  de  Deo  Socratis,  P,.  690. 

{t,)  j'^uimi  ftcreti  a  corp^iibu?,  aut  omnino  quibus  nullum  e/l  curri 
corporibus  commercium.  Tiut.  dc  D'-;fv(5t.  OiacP.  431,  Tom.  ao  Edit^ 
Talis,  1634-  ■     \ 


THE    PROPHECIES, 


H7 


to  Plutarcli,  (4)  "  it  was  a  very  ancient  opinion,  tlir.t  there  are 
^'  certain  wicked  and  malignant  dicmons,  who  envy  good  men, 
*'  and  endeavor  to  hinder  them  in  the  purfuit  of  virtue,  \ei\  they 
^'  fhould  be  partakers  at  laft  of  greater  happincf?;  than  thrz  en- 
"  joy."  This  was  the  opinion  of  all  the  later  pliilofjpiiersj  and 
Pii>tarch  undeniably  affirms  it  of  the  very  ancient  ones. 

But  here  it  is  objeftcd,  that  though  this  might  be  the  notion 
of  the  Gentiles  concerning  dcenions,  yet  the  fcriptore-account 
of  them  is  very  different:  for  in  the  fcriptures,  as  St.  Aulliit 
(5)  obferves,  we  never  read  of  good  dismons;  but  v/hcrcfoever, 
in  thofe  writings,  the  name  of  daemon  occurs,  none  but  evil 
fpirits  are  meant:  and  it  mufl  be  confeifed  and  allowed,  that 
this  is  the  moil  ufaal  fjgnification  of  the  word;  but  fome  in- 
"frances  may  be  alledged  to  the  contrary.  When  St.  Paul  v/as  at 
Athens,  and  preached  the  gof^el  in  that  city,  "  certain  philo- 
"  fophcrs  of  the  Epicureans  and  of  the  Stoics  encountered 
*'  him,"  A6ls  xvii.  18.  and  charged  him  with  being  "  a  fetter 
"  forth  of  ftrange  gods,  (in  the  Greek,  of  ftrangc  dsSinons)  be- 
"  caufe  he  preached  unto  them  Jefus  and  the  refurre6lion." — .' 
Here  daemons  cannot  poffibly  f'gnify  devils-,  but  mufl  neceffarily 
refsr  to  Jefus,  who,  according  to  Paul's  preaching,  verfe  31. 
was  "  raifed  from  the  dead,",  and  appointed  to  be  the  Lord  and 
judge  of  the  world.  At  tlie  fame  time  the  apoale  retorts  the 
charge  upon  the  Athenians,  verfe  22'.  "  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I 
*'  perceive  that,  in  all  things,  ye  are  too  fuperftitious,"  (in  the 
Greek,  too  much  addi£fed  to  the  worfhip  of  daemons;)  and 
they  worfliipped  daemons  or  dead  men  deified  in  abu'ndance: 
but  he  declared  unto  them.,  verfe  24.  "  God  who  m.ade  the 
"  world,  and  all  things  therein."  St.  Paul,  in  his  firft  Epifllc, 
thus  exhorts  the  Corinthians,  i  Cor,  x.  14,  20,  21.  "  Flee 
-'  from  idolatry.  The  things  which  the  Gentiles  facrifice, 
<'  they  facriiice  to  devils,  (in  the  Greek,  to  daemons,)  and  not 


NOTES. 

^  (4)'  Ex  vereribnsopinionibus — mala  dsrmonia  et  iDvIda  e^t  bonis  vt- 
t:s  ^em-jlantia,  qM?e,  quo  obflrepant  illoram  acflionibus,  commotiones  iis' 
*t  pavores  invehant,  hifque  concutiant  et  inipeilant  virrutem,  nc  ereifti 
et  integri  in  virrute  permanent",^,  potiorem  qiiam  ipfi  confequintur  a 
iatis  fortem.  Plut.Dion  in  iniao,  P.  958,  Tom.  i.  Edit.  Paris,  iVf^^. 
(5)  — hnnquara  vcfo  bono«}  dsemone'?  legimus:  fed  ubicnnqne  illp" 
rum  literarum  l»oc  nomen  pofitum  reperitur,  five  dscmones,  five  dsemc- 
rtia  dicantnr,  non  nifi  maligni  fijjrnificantur  fpiritus.  Auguflin.  de  Civi- 
tar.  Dei,  Lib.  6,  Cap.  19,  CcJ.  173,  lora.  ;.  £dit.  Benedi^it.  Antwcfje,* 


148  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    oi* 

"  to  God:  and  I  would  not  that  ye  fhould  have  fellowfhlpf 
*>' with  devils,  (or  daemons).  Ye  cannot  drink  the  cup  of  the 
"  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  devils,  (of  daemons;)  ye  cannot  be  par- 
**  takers  of  the  Lord's  table,  and  of  the  table  of  devils,"  (of  dse- 
mons).  The  apoftle  is  here  fhov/ing  the  great  inconfiftency  of 
the  Chrlftian  worfliip  with  the  idolatrous  vvorfhip  performed 
by  the  Heathens.  The  Heathens  worshipped  Jupiter,  Apollo, 
Venus,  and  numbcrlefs  other  beings,  who  were  reputed  daemon^ 

but  who  were  properly  deceafed  men  and  women  deified 

Corinth,  in  particular,  (6)  was  much  devoted  to  the  worfhip  of 
Venus;  there  fne  had  a  moft  magnificent  temple  and  fervice; 
and  the  city  was  called  the  city  cf  Venus.  The  apoftle,  there- 
fore, declares,  that  all  fuch  worfhip  is  utterly  inconiiftent  with 
the  true  worfliip  of  Chrift.  For  that  would  be  acknowledging 
him  for  their  onlv  lord,  and  at  the  fame  time  acknowledo-in^o;  o- 
ther  lords.  And,  verfe  22.  "  do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to  jea- 
"  loufy;  are  we  ftronger  than  he?'*  Thefe  p-affages,  together 
with  the  text  that  we  are  confidering,  are,  I  think,  all  the  places 
in  §t.  Paul's  difcourfes  or  epi files,  where  the  word  damon  oc-* 
curs:  a:ndas  he  was,  of  all  the  apoflles,  the  mofl  learned  in  the 
philofophy  and  theology  of  the  Gentiles,  and  as  he  was  fpeak- 
ing  and  writing  to  Gentiles,  that  might  be  the  reafon  of  his  a- 
doptlng  the  fame  notion  of  daemons.  He  had  plainly  alluded 
to  this  notion  a  little  before  in  the  fame  Epiflle  to  the  Corin- 
thians, I  Cor.  vili.  4,  5,  6.  and  the  pafTage  cannot  be  fo  well 
underflood  without  it.  There  is  none  other  God  hut  one.  For 
though  there  he  that  are  called  gods^  whether  in  heaven  or  in. 
earth ;  whether  Dli  calejles^  celejlial  Gods^  as  they  are  ufually 
denominated,  or  in  the  Greek,  earthly  det?nons^  as  they  are  nam-f 
ed  by  Hefiod,  mediators  and  agents  between  heaven  and  earth: 
as  there  he  gods  many  and  lords  7nany\  as  the  Gentiles  acknow- 
ledge a  plurality  of  fuch  fuperior  and  inferior  deities:  But  to  us- 
Chrift ians  there  is  hut  one  God  the  Father^  of  whom  are  all 
things^  and  we  in  him^  In  the  original,  \ve  to  him^  are  to  diredt 
all  our  fcrvices;  and  one  Lord  Jefus  Chrijl^  by  whom  are  all 
things  and  we  hy  him;  or,  we  by  or  through  him  alone  have 
accefs  unto  the  Father.  They  have  a  multitude  of  ^ods  and 
lords,  but  we  have  only  one  of  each  fort.  It  is  the  fame  doc-^ 
trine  that  he  inculcaets  likevvife  in  his  firft  Epiftle  to  Timothy, 
ii.  5.  "  For  there  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God 

NOT    K. 

(r))  Strabo,  Lib.  8,  et  Euripides  apnd  vStrabonem,  P.  378,  379.  EdiC- 
Paris,  i6io.    P.  5 8 1,58 z.    Edit.  Ainfld.  1707. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  i4f 

<*  and  mcn>  the  man  Chrill:  Jeius."  As  vSt.  Paul  here  foretels 
that  Chriliians  in  latter  times  fnould  attend  to  docfr in es  con- 
cerning  dccmons^  fo  St.  John  alio  foretels,  Rev.  ix.  20.  that 
notvvithUanding  the  plagues  of  the  Arabian  locufts  and  of  the 
Euphratean  horfcmen,  yet  they  Jl:oidd  not  repnt  of  the  works 
of  their  hands^  that  they  Jhould  notworjhip  devils^  or  damont^ 
where  the  word  is  plainly  ufed  in  the  fame  fenfe  as  by  St. 
Paul:  for  ChrilHans  never  a6tially  worfhipped  devils^hnt  they 
worfhipped  da?nons^  deceafcd  men  and  women  and  angels,  and 
Idols  cf  gold  and  fdver^  and  hrafs^  and  Jroney  and  of  wood^ 
which  neither  can  fee^  nor  hear^  nor  walk  ;  and  they  itill  con- 
tinue to  worfhip  them,  notwithilandini^  the  grievous  calamities 
infli6^ed  on  the  Chriftian  Church  by  the  Saracens  firft,  and  by 
the  Turks  afterwards,  as  we  (hall  fee  in  the  proper  place. 

There  is  a  palfage  in  Epiphanius,  v/hich  will  very  mucii 
illuftrate  and  confirm  our  explanation  of  St.  Paul.  That  father, 
who  was  very  zealous  againft  the  worfhip  of  faints  and  images, 
which  was  then  fpringing  up  in  the  church,  loudly  complains 
of  fome  Arabian  Chriftians,  who  made  a  godddefs  of  the  ble/Fed 
virgin,  and  offered  a  cake  to  her  as  to  the  queen  of  heaven. 
He  condemns  their  herefy  as  impious  and  abominable,  and  (7) 
declares  that  •'  upon  thefe  alfo  is  fulfilled  that  of  the  apofi:le, 
"  So}?ie  fhall  apojiatife  from  the  found  dc^irine^  gi''^^^g  ^^^^^  ^^ 
^^  fables  and  doctrines  of  dctmons ;  for  they  jhall  hc^  faith  the 
"  apofrle,  wcrjhippcrs  of  the  dead^  as  in  Ifrael  alfo  they  were 
«  worjhiped.^*  meaning  the  Baalim  and  Aihtaroth  who  were 
worfhipped  by  the  children  of  IfraeL  It  is  obfervable  that  he 
explains  as  well  as  recites  the  words  of  the  apoftle.  He  ex- 
pounds the  faith  by  the  found  doBrine^  erroneous  fprrits  by  fa-- 
blesy  and  doSfrines  of  demons  by  worfiipping  of  the  dead ;  and 
to  fhow  more  particularly  vv^hat  he  meant,  he  fubjoins  two  ex- 
amples more  of  fuch  worfl^ip  ;  one  of  the  Sichemites,  who 
had  a  goddefs  under  the  title  ofjephjhah's  daughter;  and  the 
Other  of  the  Egvpdans,  who  worfhipped  Thcrmutis,  that  daugh- 
ter of  Pharaoh  who  was  at  the  charge  of  educating  Mofes. 
Now  whether  tin's  latter  ciaufe,/5>r  they  ffxdl  be  zvorjhippers  of 
the  dead  as  in  Ifrael  alfo  they  were  worjhipped^  be  genuine  or 
not,  it  may  ferve  our   purpofe  in   fom.e  meafure  either  wzy- 

N  ^  'T  IP* 
( 7 )  ITcc  enim  in  ipfls  imnleJ-nr ;  deficient  quidam  a  fana  do<^rina,  in- 
tcndentes  fabuli?,  et  dodrinis  dsemoniorum:  erunt  enim,  inqnit,^  niortu- 
os  colentes,  qnemadmodurr!  apud  jfraelitas  honore  fant  aiTeili.    Epi- 
phan.  adverf.    H^r.  78,  P.  105?,  Tom.  1.  Edit-  Petav. 


tso  DI3  ^ER  T  ATIONS  ON 

If  It  was  ihz  orIi;liial  text  of  St.  Paui,  as  (8)  Beza,  and  more*' 
particularly  Mr.  Mann,  contend,  then  the  point  that  v/c  have 
been  proving  js  cftablilhed  beyond  all  polTible  contradiction. 
If  it  was  only  a  marginal  reading  added  by  way  of  explication, 
as  (9)  Mr.  Medc  and  Dr.  Hill  fuppofe,  it  ftill  evinces  that 
Epiphanius,  and  fotnc  before  his  time,  underftood  the  pafTage  In 
the  fame  manner  that  we  have  explained  it.  The  apoftle  de- 
livers the  prophecy  as  a  p/ain  and  exprcfs  one;  and  it  cannot 
be  denied,  that  the  padagc  is  much  improved,  and  the  {<ii\i^  is 
made  much  clearer  by  this  addition.  Epiphanius  too  recites 
this  addition,  as  the  very  words  of  the  apolHe;  and  a  man  of 
his  charadler  for  probity  and  piety,  would  not  be  guilty  of 
forging  fuch  a  teftimonv.  If  it  be  not  quoted  by  other  fathers, 
nor  appear  in  other  copies,  it  is  probable  that  the  fathers,  who 
began  this  worfliip  very  early,  v*''oald  not  be  forward  to  pro- 
duce a  text  to  their  own  convicli  jn  and  cbnfufion  ;  and  It  is  pof- 
fible  that  when  this  worfliip  prevailed  almoit  univerfally,  a  text 
which  fo  plainly  condemned  it,  might  be  wholly  omitted;  as 
in  later  times,  for  the  fame  reafon  we  have  kzn  ( i )  in  fome 
catechifms  and  manuals  of  devotion,  the  fecond  left  out  of  the 
tzn.  commandments,  and  the  tenth  divided  into  two  to  make  up 
the  number.  It  ought  not  indeed  to  be  concealed,  that  Cle- 
mens Alexandrinus,  a  celebrated  father  and  writer  of  the  fecond 
century,  hath  (2)  cited  this  paffage  of  St.  Paul,  jull  as  it  appears 

NOTES. 

(8)  Beza  in  locum.    Mr.  Mann's  Critical  Notes  on  fome  pafTages  of 
Scripture,  P.  92-— 103. 

(9)  Mede's  Workr,  P.  637.     Mill,  in  locum. 

(i )  BIfhop  Stillingiieat  in  his  "  Doflriaes  and  Pra<5llces  of  the  ChurcH 
ofKome,''  in  anfwer  to  the  author  of  *'  A  Papifl  mifreprefented  and 
rcprefented,'*  treating  of  the  fecond  commandment,  fays,  *' The  dif-* 
*'  pure  about  this  is  not  Whether  the  fjcond  commandment  may  be 
*'  found  In  any  of  their  book?,  but  by  what  authority  it  come?  to  be  left 
*'  out  in  any;  as  he  confefTcs  it  is  m  their  (hort  catechifms  and  manuals : 
*■'  h'H  not  only  in  thefe,  for  I  have  now  before  me  the  Reformed  Office 
"  of  the  Blefied  Virgin,  printed  at  Salamanca,  a.  d.  1 588,  publiHied  by 
*'  order  of  Pius  V.  where  it  is  fo  left  out;  and  fo  in  the  Engiiih  office  at 
*'  Antwerp,  a.  n.  iTj^-S.  I  wifh  he  had  told  us  in  what  public  cfiice  of 
"  their  church  it  is  to  be  found.''  Stillin^fleet's  Works,  Vol.  6,  P.  572. 
Seealfo  Adrichomil  Theatrum  Tcrr?c  San^5ta,  P.  ^\1  et  too,  where  the 
ten  commandments  are  thus  ranged  and  divided:  i.  S^^  Dcum  unum  co- 
J^rjt,  idolis  rejcdiic.  z.  Suum  nomen  in  vanum  ne  aflununt.  3.  Sab- 
bata  {I;^nificcat.  \.  Parentcs  honorunt.  5.  Non  occidant.  6.  Non 
mxchentur.  7.  Non  furcntur.  8.  Falfe  ne  tellentnr.  9.  Non  con- 
cupifcant  proximl  uxorem.      10.  Non  rem  ejus  quamcunquc. 

(2)  Ciciu.  Alex.  Stfumat.  Lib.  3,  P.  550.    Edit.  Potter, 


THE    PROPHECIES,  15^ 

iit  our  prefcnt  copies,  which  is  a  confidcrable  argument  In  fup- 
port  of  the  common  reading.  But  poiTibly  the  fame  perfons 
who  left  the  words  in  queftion  out  of  St.  Paul,  might  alfo  leave 
them  out  of  Clemens  Ahxaudrinus ;  and  they  might  have 
ftruck  them  out  of  Epiphanius  too,  if  they  had  been  equally 
jiware  of  then),  or  if  the  thing  had  been  equally  pra'^ticable, 
;ind  the  context  woidd  have  lufrered  it  without  the  moft  pal- 
pable difcovery  of  the  fraud.  U|.on  the  whole,  it  may  be  con- 
cluded concerning  this  palTage  in  Epiphanius,  that  if  it  docs 
not  exhibit  the  genuine  reading,  yet  at  leaf}:  it  eilablilhetli 
thj  genuine  fenfe  and  meaning  of  the  text  of  St.  Paul. 

.  It  appears  then,  that  the  dodrine  of  dee  mo  ns^  which  prevailed 
fo  long  in  the  Heathen  world,  Ihould  be  revived  and  eftablilhed 
in  the  Chriftian  church :  and  is  not  the  wcrfhip  of  faints  and 
angels  now  in  all  refpedls  the  fame  that  the  worfhip  of  ditmons 
was  in  former  times?  I'he  name  only  is  different,  the  thing  is 
identically  the  fame.     I'he  Heathens,  as  we  fee,  looked  upon 
their  d^enions  as   mediators  and  intercefibrs  between  God  and 
men:    and  are  not  the  faints  and   angels    regarded  in  the  fame 
light  by  many  profefTed   Chriftians?     Some  tendency  to  the 
worfliippin^  of  angels   was  obierved  even  in  the  apoftle's  time, 
infomuch  that  he  thought  proper  to  give  this  caution   to   the 
Coloffians,  ii.  i8.  "  Let  no  man  beguile  you  of  your  reward,  in  a 
"  voluntary  humility  and  worfhipping  of  angels:"  and  this    ad- 
monition, we  may  fuppofe,  checked  and  fupprefled  this  worfhip 
for  fome  generations.     The  worfiiipping  of  the  dead  was  not  in- 
troduced fo  early  into  the  church,  it  was  advanced  by  flower  de- 
grees; and  what  v/as  at  firft  nodiing  more  than  a  pious  and  de- 
cent refpeft  to  the  memory  of  faints  and  martyrs,  degenerated  at 
hfl  into  an  impious  and  idolatrous  adoration.     At  iirft  (3)  an- 
nual  felfivals  were  inifituted  to  their  honor;  the  next  ftep  was 
praying  in  the  coemetcries  at  their  fepukhres;  then  their  bodies 
were  tranflated  into  churches ;  then  a  power  of  working  miracles 
was   attributed  to  their  dead   bodies,   bones,  and  other    relics; 
then  their  wonder-working  relics  were  conveyed  from  place  to 
place,  and  diftributed  among   the  other  churches;  then   they 
were  invocated  and  adored  ior  performing  fuch  miracles,  for 
aiTifting  men  in  their  devotio.ns  and  interceding  for  them  v/ith 
God ;  and  not  only  the  churches,  but  even  the  fields  and  high- 
y/ays  were  filled  with  altars  for  invoking  them. 

NOTE. 

(.3)  See  thefe  particulars  hiftoilcally  dedaced  in  Sir  Tfvic  Ne'A'ton's 
Oblervatioas  on  Daniel,  Cliap.  14,  P.  20^— 2^1 . 


152  DIS  SERT  ATION  S   OH 

As  early  as  the  time  of  Conflantine,  the  firft  Chrlftian  em- 
peror, we  find  Eufebius,  one  of  the  beft  and  molt  learned  of  the 
fadicrs,  quoting  and  approving  Hefiod's  and  Plato's  notions 
bcfcrcnientioned  concerning  dxmonSj  and  then  (4)  adding, 
"  Thefe  things  are  befitting  upon  the  deceafe  of  the  favorites 
*'  of  God,  v/hom  you  may  properly  call  the  champions  of  the 
*'  true  religion:  Whence  it  is  our  cuftom  to  affemble  at  their 
"  fepulchres,  and  to  make  our  prayers  at  them,  and  to  honor 
"  their  blefied  fouls."  Here  I^ufebius  compares  the  faints  and 
martyrs  v/ith  the  daemons  of  the  Gentiles,  and  efteems  them 
worthy  of  the  fame  honor.  The  famous  Anthony,  who  wa? 
one  of  the  great  founders  of  monkery,  gave  it  in  charge  (5)  tp 
the  monks  with  his  dying  breath,  "  To  take  care  and  adhere  to 
*'  Chrift  in  tlie  firft  place,  and  then  to  the  faints,  that  after 
"  death  they  may  receive  you  as  friends  and  acquaintance  into 
*'  the  everlafting  tabernacles,"  His  advice  was  but  too  well 
followed;  and  the  emperor  Julian  (6)  reproacheth  the  Chrif- 
tians  for  adding  many  new  dead  rnen  to  that  ancient  dead  man, 
Jefus.  All  fathers  almofl  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries, 
contributed  too  much  to  the  fupport  and  propagation  of  this 
iuperfliition :  and  Theodoret  in  particular  having  cited  the  fame 
pallages  of  Henod  and  Plato,  (7)  reafons  thus,  ^^  If  then  the 
"  poet  had  called  good  men,  after  their  deceafe,  the  deliverers 
"  and  guardians  of  mortal  men ;  and  the  beft  of  philofophers 
"  hath  confirmed  the  poet's  faying,  and  aflerted  that  we  ought  tq 

NOTES. 

(4)  Qii^  quidem  in  hominain  Deo  carifrimprum  obitus  egregio  con- 
veniunt,  quos  veras  pietatis  niiliies  jure  appellaris.  Nam  et  earum  fe- 
pulcracelebrare,  et  preces  ibi  votaque  nuncnpare,  et  beatas  iiiorum  ani- 
mas  vencrari  confuevimas.  Eufeb.  Prsep.  Evang.  Lib.  13,  Cap.  11.  P. 
66.S.     Edit.  Vigeri.  _  ^  .        .    '       . 

(5)  Id  curate ut  in  primis  vos  Domino,  dehincSandis  adjungatis:  ut 
poll  mortem  vos  in  Geterna  tabernacula,  quaG  amicos  aotofqne  fibi  reci-* 
piant.  Vita  Antonii,  Cap.  91,  P.  863.  Athanafiii  Oper.  Tom.  i.  Par. 
a.     Edit.  Benedidt. 

(6)  — Additis  ad  prifcum  ilium  mortuum  novis  mortuis. — Julian  a- 
pu'i  Cyril.  Lib.  10,  P.  i^<i.     Edit.  Spanhemii. 

(7)  QS^^d  f:  pocta,  et  bonos,  et  malorum  depulforcs,  et  en  (lode? 
moitallum  vocavit  eos,  quioptime  vlxerunt,  deinde  mortuifunt:  ejuf- 
qae  fententiani  philofophorum  prjeftantiflimus  conjirmavit,  atque  horum 
lepulcra  colenda  et  adoranda  cenfuit;  qnre  a  nobis  fiunt,  optimi  viri, 
cur  damnatis?  Nos  enim  p,:ii  modo,  cos  qui  pietatc  claruerunt,  proque 
ea  caefi  funi,  malorum  depr.lfores,  et  medicos  npminamus,  d:cmonas 
non  appellamus,  (abfii  a  nohi^  hin  furor)  fed  Dei  amicob  fervofque  be- 
nevolos.  Theod.  Serai.  8.  Dc  Mariyribus,  P.  6qz,  Tom.  4*  Ediu 
Paris,  1642. 


THE    P  R  O  I*  H  E  C  I  E  S.  153 

**  ferve  and  adore  their  fcpulchresj  why,  I  befecch  you,  firs, 
«  (fpeaking  to  the  Greeks)  do  you  blame  thcfe  things  which 
*^  arc  done  by  us?   For  fuch  as  were  illuftrioiis  for  piety,  and 
"  for  the  fake  thereof  received  martyrdom,  we  alfo  name  dehv- 
"  erers  and  phyficians,  not  calhng  them  daemons,  (let  us  not 
"  be  fo  dcfperatcly  mad)  but  the  friends  and  linccre  lervants  of 
«  God."     Here  Theodoret  plainly  allows  the  thing,  and  only 
dif.pproves  the  name.     Again,  he  (8)  faith,  in  the  fame  exalted 
ftrain,  concerning  the  martyrs.  "  lliey  who  are  well,  pray  for 
*^  the  continuance  of  health,  and  they  who  have  been  long  Tick, 
"  pray  for  recovery:  the  barren  alfo  pray  for  children;  and 
"  they  wlio  are  to  make  a  long  journey,  defire  them  to  be  their 
*'  companions  and  guides  in  the  way;  not  going  to  them  as 
"  gods,  but  applying  to  them  as  to  divine  men,  and  befeeching 
"  them  to  become  intercelTors  for  them  v/ith  God."     Nay,  he 
faith,  (9)  "  that  the  martyrs  have  blotted  out  of  the  minds  of 
"  men,  the  memory  of  thofe  v/ho  were  called  gods.     For  our 
*'  Lord  hath  brought  his  dead  into  the  place  of  your   gods, 
"  whom  he  hath  utterly  abolifhed;  and  hath  given  their  honor  to 
*'  the  martyrs:  for  inftead  of  the  feafts  of  Jupiter  and  of  Bac- 
*'  chus,  are  now  celebrated  the  feftivals  of  Peter,  and  Paul,  and 
*'  Thomas,  and  the  other  martyrs.     Wherefore,  feeing  the  ad- 
*'  vantage  of  honoring  the  martyrs,  fiy,  O  friends,  from  the  error 
^^  of  the  daemons;  and  ufmg  the  martyrs  as  lights  and  guides^ 
*'  purfae  the  v/ay  which  leadeth  diredtly  to  God."     Here  are 
the  do&7"ines  of  dcz?nons  evidently  revived,  only  the  name  is  al- 
tered, and  the  faints  are  fubftituted  for  the  demons,  the  Divi  or 
deiiied  men  of  the  Chriftians,  for  the  Divi  or  deified  men  of  the 
Heathens^ 

Vol.  II.  U 

NOTE    S. 

( 8 )  Qni  inte^r?.  fnnt  valetudine,  banc  fibi  confervari,  qui aiitem  mor- 
bo  quopiara  conflidlantur,  hunc  depelli  peturit.  Pctunt  et  libercs  qui 
his  carcnt— Qa":  perep;rinarionem  aliquani  aufpicantur,  ab  his  petunt,  ut 
viae  (ibi  comitcs  (int,  dacefque  itineris — non  illos  adeuntes  ut  deos,  {^A 
tanquam  divinos  homines  eos  orantes,  inttrcefforefque  libi  ut  eife  velint 
poftulantec.     Ibid.  P.  605,  606. 

( 9 )  Cum  eoruni  quoque  qui  pafTim  dii  ferebantur,  memoriam  e  menre 
hominum  aholevciint — fuos  enini  mortnos  dominus  deus  nofter  io  tem- 
pla  pro  diis  veftris  induxit:  ac  illos  quidem  caffos  vanofque  reddidit; 
his  atitem  honorem  illorum  attribuit.  Pro  Paodiis  eoim  ac  Dionvfiis 
— Petri,  et  i'auli,  et  Thoma? — aliorumque  inartyrum  foleninirates  pera- 
guntur. — Cnmigiturexhonore  martyrihus  deiato  quid  utilitaiis  prove- 
niar  cematis,  fngite,  amici,  dccaionum  errnrem,  prajviaque  iilorumfacre 
a^ae  duvTiu,  viiim  captfiite,  qua;  ad  deum  perducit.    Ibid.  P.  6c6,,  $07. 


154  DISSERTATIONSo^f 

The  promoters  of  this  worfhip  were  fcnfible  that  it  was  the 
fame,  and  that  the  one  fucceeded  to  the  other:  and  as  the  wor- 
(bip  is  the  fame,  fo  likewife  is  it  performed  with  the  fame  ce- 
remonies,  whether   thefe  ceremonies   were   derived  from  the 
fame  fource  of  fuperftition  common  to  the  whole  race  of  man- 
kind, or  were  the  direct  copies  of  one  another.     The  ( i )  burn- 
ing of  incenfe  or  perfumes  on  feveral  altars  at  one  and  the 
fame  timic;  the  fprinkling  of  holy  water,  or  a  mixture  of  fait 
and  common  water,  at  going  into  and  coming  out  of  places  of 
public  worfhip:  the  lighting  up  of  a  great  number  of  lamps 
and  wax  candles,  in  broad  day-light,  before  the  altars  and  fta- 
tues  of  their  deities;  the  hanging  up  of  votive  offerings  and 
rich  prefents  as  atteftations  of  fo  many  miraculous  cures  and 
deliverances  from  difeafes  and  dangers:  the  canonization    or 
deification  of  deceafed  v/orthies;  the  affigning  of  diftinct  pro- 
vinces or  prefectures  to  departed  heroes  and  faints;  the  wor- 
fhlpping  and  adoring  of  the  dead  in  their  fepulchres,  fhrlnes, 
and  relics;    the   confecrating  and    bowing   down  to   images; 
the  attributing  of  miraculous  powers  and  virtues  to  Idols;  the 
fetting  up  of  little  oratories,  altars  and  ftatues,  in  the  ftreets 
and  highways,  and  on  the  tops  of  mountains:  the  carrying  of 
images  and  relics  In  pompous  proceffions  with  numerous  lights, 
and  with '  mufic  and  fuiging ;  flagellations  at  folemn  fcafons, 
under  the  notion  of  penance;  the  making  a  fan6tuary  of  tem- 
ples and  churches;  a  great  variety  of  religious  orders  and  fra- 
ternities of  priefts:  the  (having  of  priefts,  or  the  tonfure,  as 
it  is  called,  on  the  crown  of  their  heads;  the  impofing  of  cell- 
baq^  and  vows  of  chaftity  on  the  religious  of  both  fexes;  all 
thefe  and  many  more  rites  and  ceremonies  are  equally  parts  of 
Pagan  and  of  Popifh  fuperfrltion.  Nay,  the  very  fame  temples^ 
the  very  fame  altars,  the  very  fame  images,  which  once  were 
confecrated  to  Jupiter  and  the  other  daemons,  are  now  reconfe- 
crated  to  the  Virgin  Mary  and  the  other  faints.  The  very  fame 
titles  and  infcriptions  are  afcribed  to  both;  the  very  fame  pro- 
digies and  mjracles  are  related  of  thefe  as  of  thofe.     In  fhort, 
the  v/hole  almofl  of  Paganlfm  is  converted  and  applied  to  Po- 

N    O    T    E. 

( i)  The  reader  may  fee  this  conformity  between  Popery  and  Pagan- 
ifln  proved  nt  large  by  Dr.  Henry  More,  in  his  Second  P<irt  oFthe  Myf- 
tery  of  fniquity,  R.  r,  Chap.  17,  by  Dr.  Middleton,  in  his  Letter  from 
Pvome,  by  Mr,  Seward,in  his  DiiTcrtation  on  the  Conformity  betweed 
Popery  and  Paganifm,  and  other  learned  and  ingenious  authors. 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  155 

pery;  the  one  Is  manlfeftly  formed  upon  the  fame  plan  and  prin- 
ciples as  the  other;  fo  that  there  is  not  only  a  conformity,  but 
even  an  uniformity  in  the  worfliip  of  ancient  and  modern,  of 
Heathen  and  Chriilian  Rome. 

111.   Such  an  apoflafy  as  this  of  reviving  the  doSI^'tnes  of  de- 
mons and  worfhipping  the  dead,  was  not  likely  to  fucceed  and 
take  place  immccliatelv;  it  fliould  prevail  and  profper  in  the  lat- 
ter times.     The  phrafe  of  the  latter  tunes  or  days^  or  the  lajl 
times  or  diays^  as  it  hath  been  obferved  upon  (2)  a  former  occa- 
fion,  fignifies  any  tim.c  yet  to  come;  but  denotes  more  parti- 
cularly the  times  of  Chrlftianity.      So  we  find  it  ufed  by  fome 
of  the  ancient  prophets,  as  for  exam.ple  Ifaiah,  Micah,  and  Joel. 
Ifaiah  faith,  ii.  2.     "  Ajid  it  fhall  come  to  pafs  In  the  laft  days, 
^'  that  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  houfe  fhall  be  eftabliflied  in 
"  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  fhall  be  exalted  above  the  hills; 
"  and  all  nations  fhall  flow  unto  it."     Micah,  to  the  fame  pur- 
pofe,  and  almoft  in  the  fam.e  words,  Iv.  i.   "  But  in  the  laft 
''  days  it  fhall  come  to  pafs,  that  the  mountain  of  the  houfe  of 
*'  the  Lord  fhall  be  eftablifned  in  the  top  of  the  mountains, 
^'  and  it  fhall  be  exalted  above  the  hills,  and  people  fhall  flovy? 
"  unto  it."     And  Joel,  as  he  is  quoted  by  St.  Peter,  Acts  ii. 
16,  17.     "  But  this  Is  that  which  was  fpoken  by  the  prophet 
^'  Joel;  and  it  fhall  come  to  pafs  in  the  lafl:  days  (faith  God)  I 
''  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flefh."    The  times  of  Chrlf- 
tianity may  properly  be  called   the  latter  times  or  days^  or  tha 
Jajl  ti?nes  or  days,  becaufe  it  is  the  lafl  of  all  God's  revelations 
to  mankind.     Daniel  alfo  having  meafured  all  future  time  by 
the  fucceiiion  of  four  principal  kingdoms,  and  having  affirmed 
that  the  kingdom,  of  Chrill:  fhould  be  fet  up  during  the  lafl  of  the 
four  kingdomiS,  the  phrafe  of //;^  latter  ii?nes  or  days^  or  of  the 
laji  times  or  days^  mzy  flill  more  properly  fignify  the  times  of 
the  Chrill ian  difpenfation.     Thus  it  is  applied  by  the  author  of 
the  Epiflle  to  the  Hebrews,  Heb.  i.  i,  2.  "  God,  who,  at  fun- 
^  dry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  fpake  in  time  pafl  unto  the 
^'  fathers  of  the  prophets,  hath,  in  thefe  lafl  days,  fpoken  unto 
«  us  by  his  Son."     Thus  alfo  St.  Peter,  i  Pet.' i.  20.  "  Chrifl 
"  >-erily  was  fore-ordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
^'  but  was  manifeft  in  thefe  laft  times  for  you." 

But  there  is  a  farther  notation  of  time  in  the  prophet  Daniel- 
there  are  the  lafl  times  taken  fingly  and  comparatively,  or  thg 

NOTE. 

(2)  In  DifTertation  IV. 


J56  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S  o  N 

latter  times  (as  I  may  fay  after  Mr.  Mede)  of  the  laft  times, 
which  are  the  times  of  the  little  horn,  or  of  Antichrift,  Daniel 
vii.  who  fhould  arife  during  the  latter  part  of  the  laft  of  the 
four  kingdoms,  and  fliould  be  deftroyed  together  v/ith  it,  after 
having  continued  a  tinie^  and  tlmes^  and  half  a  thne.  What 
thefe  times  fignify,  and  how  they  are  to  be  computed,  hath  been 
iliown  in  3(3)  former  diflertation,  and  as  in  its  reference  to 
thefe  times  cfpecially,  that  many  things  under  the  gofpei  difpen- 
fation  are  predid^ed  to  fa] I  out  in  the  latter  times  or  days^  or  in 
the  Infi  tunes  or  dap.  So  St.  Peter  fpeaketh,  2  Peter  iii.  3. 
"  There  Ihall  com.e  in  the  laft  days  fcoffers  walking  after  their 
"  own  liifts.*'  So  too  St.  Jude,  verfe  jy,  18.  *•'  Beloved,  re- 
"  member  ye  the  v/ords  which  were  fpokcn  before  of  the  apof- 
"  tics  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chriftj  hov/  that  they  told  you,  there 
"  fnould  be  mockers  in  the  laft  time,  v/ho  fhould  walk  after  their 
<<  ovv'H  ungodly  lufts."  So  likev/ife  St.  Paul,  2  Timothy  iii.  i, 
"  This  know  alfo  that  in  the  laft  days  perilous  timics  {hall 
'•  come."  Thefe  alfo  are  the  latter  times  fpokcn  of  in  the  text. 
In  thefe  times  the  worfhip  of  the  dead  ihould  principally  pre- 
vail ;  and  that  it  hath  fo  prevailed,  all  mankind  can  teftify.  The 
practice  might  begin  before,  but  the  Popes  have  authorifed  and 
eftabliihcd  it  by  law.  The  poplfli  worlhip  is  more  the  worftiip 
of  da",mons  than  of  God  or  Chrift. 

IV.  Another  remarkable  peculiarity  of  this  prophecy  is  the 

Tolf'm.n  and  emphatic  manner,  in  which   it  is  delivered,  ^he 

Si'irit  fpeaketh  cxprejly.     Every  one  v/vW  readily  appreli.end, 

that  by  the  Spirit  is  meant  the  holy  Spirit  of  God,  which  in-- 

fpired  the  prophets  and  apoftles.     So  "  the  Spirit,"  Ad's  viii. 

29.  "  faid  unto  Philip,  Go  near,  and  join  thyfelf  to  this  chari- 

"  ot."  So  «  the  Spirit,"  Aas  x.  19.  "  laid  unto  Peter,  Behold 

"  three  men  feek  thee."  So  "  the  Spirit,"  Rey.  xiv.  13.  "faith, 

^'  }\h^t^  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord,  that  they  may  reft 

*'  from  their  labors."     But  thefe  things  the  Spirit  only  faidi 

it  is  not  affirmed  that  he  faid  them  exprefy.     The  Spirit's 

'fpeaj:iyis  exprefly^  as  (4)  Erafmus  and  otliers  expound  it,  is  his 

Tpeaking  precifcly  and  certainly,  not  obfcurely  :md  involvedly, 

as  he  is  v/ont  to  fpeak  in  the  prophets:  and  Whitbv  argues 

farther,  that  in  thofe  timiCs  cf  prophecy,  when  the  prophets  had 

NOTES. 

(.;)  In  Difiestatlon  XIV- 

(4)  Pisefcriptefive  pivfcife,  non  obfcurect  involute,  quemadmodum 
loqidi  lokc  in  prophais.    Erafxn".  in  locutn.    Whitby  ibid. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  157 

the  govermnent  of  the  churches,  and  fpake  ftill  in  the  public 
aflemblies,   it  might  learoiiably  be  laid,    The  Spirit  fpeaketh 
cxprejly^  what  they  taught  expreHy   in  the  church.      St.  Paul 
had  indeed  before  predi&d  this  apoflajy  both  in  difcourfe  and 
in  a  letter  to  the  ThefTalonians,  and  he  is  by  fome  fuppofcd  to 
refer  to  that  epiftle  in  this  place.     But  though  the  predictions 
are  alike,  yet  they  are  not  exprejly  the  fame ;  the  general  fub- 
jc6i:  is  the.  fame  in  both,  but  the    particular  circumilances   are 
different,  fo  that  the  one  cannot  be  faid  to   be  copied  from  the 
other.     There   the  apoftafy   is   predi6lcd,  here  it  is  fpecified 
Vw'hercin  it  is  to  confift.     I  would  therefore  prefer  Mr.  MeJe's 
interpretation,  that  the   Spirit  fpeaketh  exprejly ^  what  he  fpeak- 
eth in  exprefs  words  in  fome  place  or  other  of  divine  writ:  and 
the  Spirit  hath  fpoken  the  fame  things  in  exprefs  words  before, 
in  the  prophecy  of  Daniel.     Daniel  hath  foretold  in  exprefs 
words  the  worlhip  of  new  dzemons  or  demi  gods :  Dan.  xi.  38. 
Jndzvith  God^  or  inftcad  of  God^  Mahuzzi?n  in  his  eft  ate  ft)  all  he 
hon(yr\  even  with  God^  or  injlead  ofGod^  thofe  whom  his  fathers 
knew  not  ftoall  he  honor  ivith  gold  and  filver^  and  with  precious 
ftoneSf  and  deferable  things.     The  Mahu2.zi?n  of  Daniel  are  the 
Yame  as  the  Damons  of  St.  Paul,  Gods-protectors,  or  Saints- 
prote6tors,  defenders  and  guardians    of  mankind.     Daniel  alfo 
hath  foretold  in  exprefs   words,  that  this  worfiiip  fnould  be  ac- 
companied with  a  prohibition  of  marriage  :  verf.  37.  "Neither 
^  «  fhall  he  regard  the  God  of  his  fathers,  nor  the  defire  of  wo- 
'  "  men  j"  that  is,  he  fliall  neglect:  and  difcourage  the  defire  of 
wives,  and  all  conjugal  affe6tion.     Daniel  hath  likewife  inti- 
mated that  this  worfhip  fliould    take  place  in  the  latter  times ; 
for  he  hath  defcribed  it  in  the  latter  part  of  his  prophecy,   and 
thefe  times  he  hath  exprefly  named  a  time,  and  ti?nes,  and  half  a 
time.     If  the  reader  hath  been   at  the  trouble  of  perufing  the 
latter  diilertation  upon  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Daniel,  he  will 
more  eafily  perceive  the  connection  and  refemblance  between 
the  two  prophecies.     This  therefore  is  a  prophecy  not  dictated 
merely  by  private  fu2:geftion  and  infpiration,  but  taken  cut  of 
the  written  word.     \t  is  a  prophecy  not  only  of  St.  Paul,  but 
of  Daniel  too,  or  rather  of  Daniel  confirmed  and  approved  by 
St.  Paul. 

V.  Having  fhown  wherein  the  great  apoftafy  of  the  latter 
times  confifts,  namely,  in  reviving  the  doctrines  concerning 
dremons,  and  worfhipping  the  dead,  the  apoftle  proceeds  to  de- 
icribe  by  what  means,  and^by  what  perfons  it  iliould  be  propa- 


158  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  N 

gated  and  eftabliflied  in  the  world:  Speaking  lies  in  hypocrifyy 
having  their  conjcience  feared  with  a  hot  iron^  or  ratlier  through 
the  hypocrify  of  liarsy  having  their  ecnfcience  feared  with  a  hot 
iron.  .  For  the  prepofition  /«  often  ilgnifics  as  well  by^  or 
through y  as  in  St.  Mark's  gofpel,  ix.  29.  "  This  kind  can 
''  come  forth  by  nothing  but  by  praver  and  fallinjr."  And 
again,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apoftles,  xvii.  31.  "  God  hath  ap-r 
*'  pointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righ- 
<'  teoufnefs,  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained.'*  And  again, 
in  St.  Paul's  Epiftle  to  the  Rom.ans,  xii.  ii.^'  Be  not  over- 
*'  come  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  by  or  with  good,"  And  again, 
in  St.  Paul's  Epifrle  to  Titus,  i.  9.  "  T.^.at  he  may  be  able 
"  by  found  doctrine,  both  to  exhort  and  to  convince  the  gain- 
*'  fayers."  And  fo  likevvife  in  the  text,  the  original  fignifies 
hy  or  through  hypocrify.  Liars  too,  or  fpeaking  lies^  cannot 
pofiibly  be  joined  in  conftru^Stion  vnth  fowe^  ^nA  giving  heed\ 
hecaufe  they  are  in  the  nominative  cafe,  and  this  in  the  geni- 
tive. Neither  can  it  v/ell  be  joined  inconftruclivon  with  daemons 
or  devils',  for  how  can  damons  or  devils  be  faid  to  (peak  lies  in 
iTypocrifyy  and  to  have  their  confcience  feared  with  a  hot  iron? 
Befides,  \X  dcrmons  be  taken  for  devils^  and  not  in  the  izwiz  that 
we  have  explained  it,  nor  with  the  addition  of  Epiphapius, 
then  it  is  not  explained  at  all,  wherein  the  great  apoftafy  of 
the  latter  times  cojififts.  The  forbidding  to  marry^  and  conin 
manding  to  abftain  from  ?neatSy  are  clrcumilances  onlv,  and  ap- 
pendages of  the  great  apoftafy,  and  not  the  great  aportafy  itfelf, 
which  is  alwavs  reprefented  in  fcripture  2.%  fpiritual fornic ation 
or  idolatry  of  one  kind  or  other,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  the 
apoRle  fiiojld  fpecify  the  circumftantial  errors,  and  omit  the 
main  and  capital  crime.  In  this  place  it  is  not  the  great  apoila- 
fy  that  he  is  dcfcribing,  but  the  characters  and  qualities  of  the 
authors  and  promoters  of  it.  Caftalio  therefore  very  properly 
(5)  trandates  the  Greek,  through  the  diffimulotion  of  men  fpeak- 
ing lies :  I  have  added  ;//^;/,  (ays  lie,  \c.\\  fpeaking  lies^  and  what 
follows  fliould  be  referred  to  danions  or  devils.  It  is  plain  th<'n, 
that  the  great  apoilafy  of  tlie  latter  times  v/as  to  prevail  through 
the  hyprocrif'  of  liar  s^  having  their  confcience  fared  with  a  hot 
iron:  and  hath  not  the  great  idolatry  of  Chrillians,  and  the 
vvorftiip  of  the  dead  particularly,  being  difrufed  and  advanced  iii 

K     0    T     K     S. 

(<)  Per  fimuhtioiv.'m  hominiini  faifilccjiiovum]     Ilomlnvim  addl.  n£ 
felfiloquorum  ct  kqucntia  rcf;;rr(;iiLUi  ad  tlai'inonia.    Caftal.  in  locum. 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  159 

,tl;c  world  by  fuch  Inftruments  nnd  -afrents,  who  have,  Rom.  i. 
25>  "  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and  worfhipped  and 
"  lerved   the  creature  more   than  the  Creator,  v/ho  is  biefied 
"  forever?"    It  is  impoffible  to  relate  or    enumerate  all  the 
various  falftrhoods  and  lies,  which  have  been  invented  and  pro- 
pagated for  this  purpofe;  the  f^ibulous  books  forged  under  the 
iiames  of  apoftle?,  faints,  and  martyrs;  tke  fabulous  legends  of 
their  lives,  a-^^ions,  rjffcrings,   and  deaths  ;  the  fabulous  mira- 
cles afcribed  to  their  fepulchres,  bones,  and  other  relics  ;  the 
fiibulous  dreams  and  revelations,  vifion^  and  apparitions  of  tha 
dead    to  the  living ;  and  even  the  fabulous  faints,  who  never 
cxiilcd  but  in  the  imagination  of  their  won'hippers  :  And  alf 
thefe  flories    the  monks,  the  pricds,  the  bifhops  of  the  church 
have  impofed  and  obtruded  upon  mankind,  it  is  diiEcult  to  fay 
v/hether  with  greater  artifice  or  cruelty,  with  greater  confidence 
or  hypocrify  and  pretended  fantftity,  a  more  hardened  face,  or  a 
more  hardened  confcience.     The  hiftory  of  the  church,  faith 
Pafcal,  is  the  hiftory   of  truth  ;  but  as  written   by  bigotted  pa^ 
pifts,  it  is  rather  the  hiftory  of  lies.     So  well  doth  this  prophe- 
cy, coincide  and  agree  with  the  preceding  one,  that  the  coming 
of  the  man   of  fin  Ihould  be  after  the  woking  ofSatan^  with  all 
poiver^  and  /igns^  and  lying  wonder Sy  and  with  all  deceivablenefs 
of  unrightcoufnefs. 

VI.  A  farther  chara^er  of  thefemen  is  given  in  the  follow- 
ing words.  Forbidding  to  marry.  The  fan^e  hypocritical  li- 
ars, who  fhall  promiOte  the  worfhipof  dicmons,  fhouid  alfo  pro- 
hibit lawful  marriages.  Saturnius,  or  Saturnilus,  v/ho  liourifh- 
ed  in  the  fecond  centurv,  was,  as  Theodoret  (6)  afnrms,  the 
firft  Chriftian  who  declared  matrimony  to  be  the  doclrine  of 
the  devil,  and  exhorted  men  to  abftain  from  animal  food.  But 
according  (7)  to  Irenaeus  and  Eufebius,  Tatian,  who  had  been 
adifciple  of  JufHn  Martyr,  was  the  firil:  author  of  this  hercfy ; 
at  leaft  he  concurred  in  opinion  with  Saturnius  and  Marcion  \ 
and  their  followers  were  called  the  Continents^  from  their  con- 
tinence in  regard  to  marriage  and  meats.  The  Gnoftics  like- 
wife,  as  Irenaeus  and  Clemens   Alexandrinus    (8)  informs  us, 

N   o   T   K   s. 

(6)  Nupiias  hie  primus  omnium  diaboli  do(5}rinam  appellavit.  Jubct 
autem  et  ah  animatis  r.biliriere.  Thcod.  IIsret.Fab.  Lib.  i,  Cap.  3.  P. 
194,  Tom.  4.  Edit,  Paris,  1642. 

(7)  Iren.  apud  Eufeh.  Ecclcf  Hift.  Lib.  4^  Cap.  29. 

(8)  Nubere  et  generare  a  Satana  dicunt  effe.  Tien.  Lib.  i.  C?.p.  21. 
P.  97.  Edit.  Gaibe. — Adverfus  autem  alteium  genus  haereticcrura,  qui 


i6o  DISSERTATIONS   oM 

aflferted,  that  to  marry  and  beget  children  proceeded  from  the 
devil;  and  under  pretence  of  continence,  were  impious  both 
againft  the  creature  and  Creator,  teaching  that  men  ought  not 
to  bring  into  the  world  other  unhappy  perfons,  nor  fupply  food 
for  death.  Other  heretics  in  the  third  century  advanced  the 
fame  dodlrines,  but  they  were  generally  reputed  heretics,  and 
their  doftrines  were  condemned  by  the  church*  The  council 
of  Eliberis,  in  Spain,  which  was  held  in  the  year  of  Chrift 
three  hundred  and  five,  v/as,  I  think,  the  firfl  that  by  public 
authority  (9)  forbad  the  clergy  to  marry,  and  comm.anded  even 
thofe  who  were  married  to  abftain  altogether  from  their  wives. 
The  council  of  Neocaefarea,  in  the  year  three  hundred  and 
fourteen,  only  ( i)  forbad  unmarried  Prefbyters  to  marry  on  the 
penalty  of  degradation.  At  the  firft  general  council  of  Nice, 
in  the  year  three  hundred  and  twenty- five,  a  motion  was  (2) 
made  to  reftrain  the  clergy  from  all  conjugal  fociety  with  their 
wives:  but  it  was  ftrongly  oppofed  by  Paphnutius,  a  famous 
Egyptian  bifhop,  who  yet  himfelf  was  never  married  ;  and  to 
him  the  whole  council  agreed,  and  let  every  man  to  his  liberty 
as  before.  But  the  monks  had  not  yet  prevailed;  the  m.onks 
foon  after  everfpread  the  eaftern  church,  and  the  weftern  too : 
and  as  the  monks  were  the  firft,  who  brought  fingle  life  into 
repute ;  fo  they  were  the  firft  alfo,  who  revived  and  promoted 
the  v/orfliip  of  daemons.  It  is  a  thing  univerfally  known,  that 
one  of  the  primary  and  moft  efiTential  laws  and  conftitutions  of 
all  monks,  whether  living  in  deferts  or  in  convents,  is  the  pro- 
feifion  of  fingle  life,  to  abftain  from  marriage  themfelves,  and 
to  djfcourage  it  all  they  can  in  others.  It  is  equally  certain,, 
that  the  monks  had  the  principal  ftiare  In  promoting  and  pro- 
pagating the  worfliip  of  the  dead :  and  either  out  of  credulity, 
or  for  v/orfe  reafons,  recommended  it  to  the  people  with  all 

NOTES, 

fpeciofe  per  continentlam  impie  fe  gerunt,  turn  in  creaturam,  turn  in 
fancSum  opificem,  qui  eft  folus  Deus  omnipotens;  et  dicunt  ncn  elfe 
admiitcridam  matrirrioniuFn  et  liberorum  procicationem,  ncc  in  mun- 
dum  efle  inducendos  alios  infelices  futaros,  nee  fuppeditandum  morti 
Tiuinnicntum. — Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  Lib.  3,  Cap.  6,  P.  531.  Edit. 
Potter. 

(9)  Cone.  Elib.  C.  33,  S.  Bafnagii  Annales,  Vol  2,  P.  522  et  600. 

(i)  Cotic.  Neoc.  Can.  I,  Prefbyter  fi  uxorem  duxeiit,  ab  ordine  fuo 
removeator.     S.  Bafiiag.  ibid*  P.  522  et  6j;. 

(2)  Socratis  Hift.  Ecclef.  Lib.  1,  Cap.  11.  Sozomen.  Lib.  1,  Cap.  23. 
S.  Bafnagt  ibid.  P.  707.    Bingham's  Antiquities,  B.  4,  Chap.  5,  Se^.  7. 


TPiE     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  i6r 

the  pomp  and  power  of  their  eloquence  in  their  homilies  and 
orations.  Read  only  fome  of  the  moft  celebrated  fathers:  read 
the  (3)  orations  of  Bafd  on  the  martyr  Mamas,  and  on  the  for- 
ty martyrs;  read  the  orati6ns  ofEphraim  Syrus  on  the  death 
of  Bafil,  and  on  the  forty  martyrs,  and  on  the  praifes  of  the  holy 
martyrs:  read  the  orations  of  Gregory  Nazianzen  en  Athana-' 
fiuSj  and  on  Bafil,  and  on  Cyprian:  read  the  orations  of  Grego- 
ry NyiTen  on  Ephraim  Syrus,  and  on  the  marty^-  Theodoras, 
and  on  Meletius  biiliop  of  Aniioch:  read  the  fixty-fixth,  and 
other  homilies  of  Chryfoilom:  read  his  orations  on  the  martyrs 
of  Egypt,  and  other  orations;  and  you  will  be  greatly  ad-onifh- 
ed  to  find  how  full  they  are  of  this  fort  of  fupcrfti.ion,  what 
powers  and  miracles  are  afcribed  to  the  faints,  what  prayers  and 
praifes  are  off^jred  up  to  them.  All  thefp  were  monks,  and  moft 
of  them  bifhops  too,  in  the  fourth  century:  and  the  fuperftitious 
worlhip  which  thefe  monks  begun,  the  fucceedine  monks  com- 
pleted, till  at  length  the  very  relics  and  im.ages  of  the  dead  were 
worfhipped  as  much  as  the  dead  themfelves.  The  monks  then 
were  the  principal  promoters  of  the  worihip  of  the  dead  in  for- 
mer times:  and  who  are  the  great  patrons  and  advocates  of  the? 
fame  worfhip  now?  Are  not  their  legitimate  fucceiibrs  and  de- 
fcendants,  the  m.onks,  and  priefts,  and  bifhops  of  the  church  of 
RoirTe?  and  do  not  they  alfo  profefs  and  recommend  fmgle  life, 
as  well  as  the  worfliip  of  faints  and  angels?  As  long  ago  as  the 
year  three  hundred  and  eighty- fix.  Pope  (4)  Siricus  held  a 
council  of  eighty  bifliops  of  Rome,  and  forbad  the  clsrgy  to  co- 
habit with  their  wives.  This  decree  was  confirm.ed  by  Pope 
(5)  Innocent  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century:  and  the  ce- 
libacy of  the  clergy  was  fully  decreed  by  (6)  Gregory  the  fe- 
venth  in  the  eleventh  century;  and  this  hatlr  been  the  univerfal 
law  and  pradtice  ot  the  church  ever  fince.  Thus  hath  the  wor- 
fhip of  daemons  and  the  prohibitions  of  marriage  conftantly  gone 
hand  in  hand  together:  and  as  they  who  maintain  the  one,  main- 
tain the  other;  fo  it  is  no  lefs  remarkable,  that  they  who  dif- 
claim  the  one,  difclaim  alfo  the  other,  and  allert  the  liberty  which 
nature,  or  (to  ipeak  more  properly)  the  author  of  nature  lmi.h 
indub'-ed  to  all  m.ankind. 

Vol.  II.  X 

NOTES. 

(3)  The  reader  may  fee  fome  extrafts  out  of  all  thefe  in  Sir  Ifaac> 
Newcon's  Obrervations  on  Daniel,  C!iap,  14. 

(4)  Siric.  Decv.  C.  7.     S.  Bafnage,  ibid.  P.  52a. 

(5 )  Innocent  Deer.  C.  12.     S.  Bafnage,  ibid.et  Vol.  3?  P-  106. 
CO  S.  Bafnage,  Vol.  2,  P.  52^. 


j62  dissertations    on 

Our  Maker  bids  increafe:  Who  bids  abftala 
But  our  deftroyer — Ibe  to  God  and  man? 

Milton. 

VII.  The  laft  note  and  character  of  thefe  men  Is  commayid- 
h:g  to  ahjlain  from  meats^  which  God  hath  created  to  he  received 
with  thanksgiving  of  them  which  believe  and  know  the  truth  : 
where,  in  the  original,  the  word  commanding  is  not  expreffed 
but  underflood,  with  an  ellipfis  that  commentators  (7)  have 
obferved  to  be  fometimes  ufed  by  the  beft  claffic  authors.  The 
fame  lying  hypocrites,  who  Ihould  promote  the  worfhip  of  dae- 
mons, fliould  not  only  prohibit  lawful  marriage,  but  likewife 
impofe  unnecelTary  abftinence  from  meats :  and  thefe  two,  as,  in- 
deed, it  is  fit  they  fliould,  ufually  go  together,  as  conilituent  parts 
of  the  fame  hypocrify.  As  we  learn  from  (8)  Irenseus,  the  an- 
cient heretics  called  Continents,  who  taught  that  matrimony  was 
not  to  be  contracted,  reprobated  the  primitive  work  of  God,  and 
tacitly  accufmg  him  who  made  man  and  woman  for  the  procrea- 
tion of  human  kind,  introduced  abftinence  alfo  from  animal  food, 
fhowins;  themfelves  un2:rateful  to  God  who  created  all  things. 

It  is  as  much  the  law  and  conftitution  of  all  monks  to  abftain 
from  meats  as  from  marriage.  Some  never  eat  any  flefh,  others 
only  of  Certain  kinds,  and  on  certain  days.  Frequent  fafts  are  the 
rule,  the  boaft  of  their  order;  and  their  carnal  humility  is  their 
fpiritual  pride.  So  lived  the  monks  of  the  ancient  church;  fo 
live,  with  lefs  flriclnefs,  perhaps,  but  with  greater  oilentation, 
the  monks  and  friars  of  the  church  of  Rome:  and  theft,  have 
been  the  principal  propagators  and  defenders  of  the  worfliip  af 
the  dead,  both  in  former  and  in  later  times.  The  worfliip  of  the 
dead  Is  indeed  fo  rnonPcroufly  abfurd,  as  well  as  impious,  that  there 
was  hardly  any  poiriblllty  of  its  ever  fucceeding  and  prevailino^ 
in  the  world,  but  by  hypocrify  and  lies;  but  that  thefe  particular 

NOTES. 

(7)  VA  hiccontrarii.  Deeft  enim,  quod  addit  hunc  locum  citans  E- 
piphanias,  aut  quod  addit  Syrus.  Similis  fcrme  i  Cor.  xiv-  34.  et  hie 
fupra.  ii,  12.  Sic  PlcEdrus,  non  veto  dimitti,  verum  cruciari  fame,  fup- 
plejubeo.     Grot,  in  lacum. 

('8)  Qui  vocantur  contlncntes,  docuerunrnon  cent rahcnd urn  e/Te  ma- 
triiDoneni:  reprobantes  fcili'^^*:  prlvitivum  illud  opificium  Del,  ettacite 
accni'antes  Deuni  qui  malculum  et  freminam  condidlt  ad  propagationem 
generis  hiimani.  Induxetunt  etiam  abftinentlam  ab  ufii  eorum  quceani- 
mata  appellant,  ingraios  fe  exhibentes  erga  cum  qui  univcrfli  creayit 
Deum,  Iren.  apud  Eufeb.  Ecclef.  liiii.  Lib.  4>  Cap.  ag. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  163 

forts  of  hypocrify,  celibacy  under  pretence  of  chaftity,  and  abfti^- 
jience  under  pretence  of  devotion,  (hould  be  employed  for  this 
purpofe,  the  Spirit  of  God  alone  could  forcfcc  and  forctel.  There 
is  no  necedary  connection  between  the  worfhip  of  the  dead  and 
forbidding  to  marry,  and  commanding  to  abftain  from  meats: 
and  yet  it^is  certain,  that  the  great  advocates  of  this  worfhip  have, 
by  their  pretendeei  purity  and  niortification,  procured  the  great- 
er reverence  to  their  perfons,  and  the  readier  reception  to  their 
do6irines.     But,  this  idle,  popifli,  monkifh  ablHnence,  is  as  un- 
v/orthy  of  a  Chriftian,  as  it  is  unnatural  to  a  man.  It  is  pervert- 
ing the  purpofe  of  nature,  and  commanding  io&hjiainjrom  vitats^ 
which  God  hath  created  to  be  received  with  thank/giving  by  the  be- 
lievers, and  them  who  know  the  truth.     The  apoflle,  therefore, 
approves  and  fan61:ifies  the  religious  cuftom  of  bleffing  God  at 
our  meals,  as  our  Saviour,  when  he  was  to  diftribute  the  loaves 
and  the  fifhes,  Mat.  xiv.  iq.—xv.  36.  "  looked  up  to  heaven, 
"  andblelledj  and  brake:"  And  what  then  can  be  fiid  of  thofe 
who  have  their  tables  fpread  with  the  moft  plentiful  gifts  of  God, 
and  ^'tt  conftantly  ut  down  and  rife  up  again,  without  fufFeriing 
fo  much  as  one  thought  of  the  giver  to  intrude  upon  them  ?  It 
is  but  a  thought,  it  is  but  a  glimpfe  of  devotion;  and  can  they, 
who  refufe  even  that,  be  reputed  either  to  believe^  or  to  know  the 
truth?  Man  is  free  to  partake  of  all  the  good  creatures  of  God, 
but  thankfgiving  is  the  neceffary  condition.     ''  For,"  as  the  a-( 
poftie  fubjoins  in  the  next  verfes,  verf.  4  and  5.  "  every  creature 
"  of  God  is  good,  and  nothing  to  be  refufed,  if  it  be  received  with 
«  thankfgiving:  For  it  is  fanctiiied  by  the  word  of  God  and 
«  prayer.^"     The  apoflle  proceeds  to  {ay,  that  it  is  the  duty  of 
the  minifters  of  the  gofpel  to  prefs  and  inculcate  thefe  things  ; 
verfe  6.     "  If  thou  put  the  brethren  in  remembrance  of  thefe 
"  things,  thou  (halt  be  a  good  miniiler  of  Jefus  Chrift,  nourifti- 
*-'■  ed  up  in  the  words  of  faith,  and  of  good  dodrine,  whereunto 
"  thou  haft  attained."   All  that  is  preached  up  of  fuch  abitinence 
and  mortification,  as  well  as  all  the  legends  of  the  faints,  are  no 
better  than  profane  and  old  wives  fables :  Godlinefs  is  the  only 
thing  that  will  truly  avail  us  here  and  hereafter,  verfes  7  and  8. 
"  But  refufe  profane  and  old  wives  fables,  and  exercife  thyfelf  ra- 
"  ther  unto  godlinefs:  For  bodily  exercife  profiteth  little;  but 
"  godlinefs  is  profitable  unto  all' things,  having  promiie  of  the 
"  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come," 


164  DISSERTATIONS    OM 


wwtawswwMMji  KHtm-ii.  BiiiW!R»'^caaaB&»jKaiwayts»aaa 


XXIV. 

A     N 

ANALYSIS 

OF       THE 

REVELATION. 

In    T  IF  O    P  J  R  T  S, 
PART    I. 

IT  is  very  ufeful,  as  well  as  very  curious  and  entertaining,  to 
trace  the  rife  and  progrefs  of  religions  and  governments;  and 
in  taking  a  furvey  of  all  the  diiterent  religions  and  governments 
of  the  vrorld,  there  is  none,  perhaps,  that  will  ftrike  us  more  with 
wonder  and  ailoniO-iment  than  that  of  Rome;  how  fuch  amyfte- 
ry  of  iniquity  could  fuccecd  at  firft,  and  profper  fo  long,  and  un- 
der the  name  of  Chrift  introduce  Antichrift.  Other  ht;refies  and 
fchifms  have  obtained  place  and  credit  among  men  for  a  time, 
and  then  have  been  happily  expofed  and  fupprefled.  Arianifm 
once  faccceded  almoft  univerfajly;  for  a  while  it  grew  and  iiour- 
iftied  mightily,  but  in  procefs  of  time  it  withered  and  faded  a- 
way.  But  Popery  had  now  prevailed,  I  know  npt  how  many 
centuries,  and  her  renov/ned  hierarclis  have  not,  like  the  fathers 
of  oth.er  fccis,  (tole  into  fecret  meetings  and  conventicles,  but 
have  infecSted  the  very  heart  of  the  Chriliian  church,  and  ufurp- 
ed  the  chief  feat  of  the  weftern  world:  have  not  only  engaged 
in  their  caufe  private  perfons,  and  led  captive  filly  women^  but 
have  tranipl'.^xl  on  the  necks  of  princes  and  emperors  thcmfclves, 
and  the  lords  and  tyrants  of  mankind  liave  yet  been  the  blind 
fiaves  and  vaflals  of  tlie  hoi  7  fee.  Rome  Chriftian  hath  carried 
her  ^onqiiefls  even  farther  than  Rome  Pagan.  I'hc  Romanifts 
themftlves  make  univcrfality  and  perpetuity  the  fpecial  marks 
?ind  characters  of  their  church;  and  no  people  more  induftriou§ 
than  they,  in  cympi^ffing  fca  and  land  to  make  projclpcs^ 


T  H  E     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  5.  165 

All  fincere  Protedants  cannot  but  be  greatly  grieved  at  the 
fuccefs  and  prevalence  of  this  religion,  and  the  Papiils  as  much 
boaft  and  glory  in  it,andfor  this  rcalbn  proudlydenominatetheir's 
the  Catboiic  religion.  But  it  v^iil  abate  all  confidence  on  tiic  one 
hand,  and  baniai  all  firiiples  on  the  other,  if  we  conlidcr  that 
this  is  nothing  more  than  what  was  fignined  before-hand  by  the 
Spirit  of  prophecy.  It  is  directly  foretold,  that  there  Taould  be 
fuch  a  power,  as  that  of  the  Pope  of  Rome,  exercifed  in  the 
Chriftian  church,  and  that  it  fhould  prevail  for  a  long  feafon, 
but  at  laff  (liould  have  a  fall.  Several  clear  and  exprefs  prophe- 
cies to  this  purpofe  have  been  produced  out  of  Daniel  and  St. 
Paul,  in  the  courfe  of  thefe  diflertations:  but  others  clearer  flill, 
kind  more  copious  and  particular,  may  be  found  in  the  Apocalyps 
or  Revelation  of  St.  John,  who  was  the  greated,  as  he  was  the 
lail  prophet  of  the  Chriftian  difpenfation,  and  hath  comprehend- 
ed in  this  book,  and  pointed  out  the  moil  memorable  events  and 
revolutions  in  the  church,  from  the  apoflles'  days  to  the  conium- 
mation  of  the  myftery  of  God. 

But  to  this  book  of  the  Apocalyps  or  Pvcvelation,  it  is  ufual- 
ly  objecled,  that  it  is  fo  wrapt  and  involved  in^figures  and  al- 
legories, is  fo  wild  and  vifionarv,  is  fo  dark  and  oblcure,  that 
any  thing,  or  nothing,  at  leail:  nothing  clear  and  certain,  can  be 
proved  or  colle(5ted  from  it.  So  learned  a  man  as  Scaliger  is 
noted  for  faying,  (i)  that  Calvin  was  wife,  becaufe  he  wrote  no 

comm.ent  upon  the  Revelation.' A  celebrated  (2)  wit  and 

divine  of  our  own  church,  hath  not  fcrupled  to  adert,  that  that 
book  either  finds  a  man  mad,  or  makes  him  fo.  Whitby,  though 
an  ufeful  commentator  on  the  oiher  books  of  the  New  Tefla- 
rnent,  would  not  yet  adventure  upon  the  Revelation.  "  I 
"  confefs  I  do  it  not,  (3)  fays  he,  for  want  of  v.^ifdom;  that  is, 
"  becaufe  I  neither  have  Sufficient  reading  nor  judgment  to 
*' difcern  the  intendment  of  the  prophecies  contained  in  that 
"  book."  Voltaire  is  pleafed  to  fay,  that  Sir  Ifaac  Newton 
wrote  his  comment  upon  the  Revelation  to  confole  mankind 

NOTES. 

(t)  Calvinus  fapit,  qv.od  in  ApocalypHo  non  fcripfit.  Vide  Scalipe- 
ranafecunda,  P.  41.  But  ScpJiger  was  not  vcrv  conliftentin  his  opinion 
cf  the  Revelation.  For.  as  the  Bifliop  of  Rociiefler  remarks,  he  fays  in 
another  p!^C2,  Hoc  polki.-ii  p;loriari  me  nihil  iprnorare  eoruni  qu-.tin  A- 
pocaiypfi,  Canonico  vere  Whuj,  prophttice  fcribuntur,  praeter  iliud  ca- 
put In  quo  vGS  fepties  rep<-;ritur:  ignore  enim  idne  tempus  prseteiieric, 
an  futuriamfit.    Scaligeran.  in) 2. 1',  i^. 

(a)  Dr.  South.     See  Vol.  2,  Sern.  2,  ?.  4^2,  Cth  VAk.  ^ 
(5)  S^c  Whitby's  Trcfact  to  his  Treatife  of  the  Miilennium. 


i66  DISSERTATIONSoN 

for  the  great  fuperiorlty  that  he  had  over  them  in  other  refpe£ts; 
but  Vokaire,  though  a  very  agreeable,  is  yet  2l  very  fuperficial 
writer,  and  often  niiftaken  in  his  judQjr.ent  of  men  and  things. 
He  never  was  more  milraken,  than  in  afHrmIng  that  Sir  Ifaac 
Nev/ton  has  explained  the  Revelation  in  the  fame  manner  with 
all  thofe  who  went  before  him;  a  moft  evident  proof  that  he  I.ad 
never  read  either  the  one  or  the  others,  for  if  ever  he  had  read 
them,  he  miuft  have  perceived  the  difPercnce.  However,  it  is 
undeniable,  that  ev^en  the  moii  learned  men  have  mifcarried  in 
nothing  more  than  in  their  com/m.eats  and  explanations  of  this 
book.  To  explain  this  book  perfectly  is  not  the  work  of  one 
man,  or  of  one  age;  and  probably  it  will  never  all  be  clearly  un- 
derftood,  till  it  is  all  fulliiled.  It  is  a  niemorable  thing,  that 
Bifnop  Burnet  (4)  relates  to  this  purpofe,  of  his  friend  the  m.oil 
learned  Biihop  Lloyd  of  Worcefter.  He  fays,  that  that  excel- 
lent perfon  was  em.ployed  above  twenty  years  in  fludying  the 
Revelation,  with  an  amazing  diligence  and  exa<Slnefs;  and  that 
he  had  foretold  and  proved  from  the  Revelation,  the  peace  made 
bctv/een  the  Turk  and  the  Emmeror,  in  the  year  1698,  long  be- 
fore it  was  maae ;  and  that  after  this  he  faid  the  time  of  the  Turks 
hurting  the  Papal  Chriftians  was  at  an  end:  and  he  was  fo  po- 
fitive  in  this,  that  he  confented  that  all  his  fcheme  fiiouid  be  laid 
sfide,  if  (5)  ever  the  Turk  engaged  in  a  new  war  v/ith  them. 
But  it  is  very  weJl  known  that  the  Turk  and  the  Emperor  have 
engaged  in  a  new  war  fmce  that  time,  and  probably  may  engage 
again;  fo  that  by  his  ov/n  confent,  all  his  fcheme  is  to  be  laid  a- 
fide.  And  if  ib  great  a  mafter  of  learning,  fo  nice  a  critic  hi 
chronology  and  hiuory,  one  who,  perhaps,  underfrood  the. pro- 
phetic writings  better  than  any  mr.n  of  liis  time,  was  io  groOv 
miflaken  intlic  m.oft  pohtive  of  his  calculations,  itmayfcrveac 
Jcaft  as  an  adm.onition  to  others  of  inferior  abilities  to  beware 
bow  they  meddl .  v/ith  thefe  matters,  and  rather  to  avoid  the 
rocks  and  fhelves  about  v/hich  they  fee  fo  many  ihipwrecks. 

N    O    T    F.    s. 

(4)  See  Burnet's  Iliflnry  c.f  h:s  own  Times.     Vol.  1,  P.  204. 

•  5)  Upon  reH'<5bon,  I  think  it  not  inipoifible  tliat  Bifhop  Burnet 
niipht  nnilliike,  :inM  fo  nvght  mifreprefent  Uifiiop  Lloyd  s  meaning.  If 
hcfaid»  indeed  il'at  the  Turks  wf)uld  never  enj^age  in  a  new  v/ar  with 
the  papa!  Chrif^ians,  he  was  plainlv  in  xhe  wron'^.  'he  event  hath  ihown 
that  he  was  in  the  wrong.  Ifhelaici  only  that  the  "i'urks  would  no 
nvMC  hurt  the  papal  Chrilrianr. — would  no  more  fubdue  any  Chriftian 
flavor  potentate,  he  was  probrii>ly  in  the  ri>»Iit,  the  prophet  lecmeth  to 
intiir/itje  the  fame  thing,  and  the  cvept  hitherto  coniirms  ii. 


THE    P  R  O  P  II  E  C  I  E  S.  167 

Not  that  this  book  is  therefore  to  be  defpifed  or  neglected. 
They  who  cenfure  and  diiTuade  the  ftudy  of  it,  do  it  for  the  mod 
part  bcca  ife  they  have  not  ftudied  it  themfclves,  and  imagine 
the  diihciilties  to  be  greater  than  they  are  in  reality.  It  is  flijl 
ihc  fare  word  of  prophecy  \  and  men  of  learning  and  Icifarc  can- 
not better  employ  thcif  time  and  abilities  than  in  ftudying  and 
explaining  this  book,  provided  they  do  it,  as  Lord  (6)  JJacoii 
advifeth,  "  with  great  wifdom,  fobriety,  and  reverence."  Lord 
Bacon  advifeth  it  with  regard  to  all  the  prophecies,  but  fuch 
caution  and  reverence  are  more  efpecially  due  to  this  of  St. 
John.  "  The  fo  ly  of  interpreters  has  been,  as  Sir  Ifaac  New- 
"  ton  [j)  obfervcs,  to  foretel  times  and  things  by  this  prophecy, 
"  as  if  God  deiigned  to  make  them  prophets.  By  this  raflinefj 
"  they  have  not  only  cxpofed  themfclves,  but  brought  the  pro- 
"  phecy  alfo  into  contempt.  The  clefign  of  God  was  much  o- 
'^  therwife.  He  gave  this  and  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Tef- 
*'  tament,  not  to  gratify  men's  curiofities  by  enabling  them  to 
*'  foreknow  things,  but  that  after  they  v/cre  fulfilled  they  might 
"  be  interpreted  by  the  event,  and  his  own  providence,  not  the 
"  interpreters,  be  then  manifeiled  thereby  to  the  world."  If, 
therefore,  we  v/ould  confine  ourfelves  to  the  rules  of  juft  criti- 
cifm,  and  not  indulge  lavvlefs  and  extravagant  fancies; 'if  we 
would  be  content  with  fober  and  genuine  interpretation,  and 
not  pretend  to  be  prophets,  nor  prefume  to  be  wife  above  what 
is  v/ritten;  we  (liould  more  confider  thofe  paflages  v/hich  have 
already  been  accomplifhed,  than  frame  conjectures  about  thofe 
which  remain  yet  to  be  fulfilled.  Where  the  fads  m^ay  be  com- 
pared with  the  predictions,  there  we  have  fome  clue  to  guide  us 
through  the  labyrinth:  and  though  it  may  be  difficult  to  trace 
out  every  minute  refemblance,yet  there  are  fome  ftrong  lines  and 
features,  which  I  think  cannot  fail  of  ftriking  every  one,  who 
will  but  impartially  and  duly  examine  them. 

We  fhould  be  v/anting  to  the  fubje6l,  and  leave  our  work  un- 
finifhed,  if  we  fliould  omit  fo  material  a  part  of  prophecy. — ■ 
And  yet  fuch  a  difquifition  is  not  to  be  entered  upon  haftily, 
but  after  a  diligent  perufal  of  the  bell  authors,  both  foreign  and 


NOTES. 

^  (6)  — Macrn.'icuni  fipientia,  fobrietate,  etreverentia — See  the  quota- 
tion prefixed  to  the  Tntroduftion. 

(7)  Sir  Ifaac  Ncwtou's  CJbfcrvations  upon  the  Apocalyps,  Chap,  ij 

P.   2JI. 


i68  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

tlomeftic;  and  it  will  be  happy,  if  out  of  them  all  there  can  be 
formed  one  entire  fyftem.,  complete  and  contiftent  in  all  its 
parts.  As  Sir  Ifaac  Newton  (8)  fays,  "  Aniongft  the  inter- 
"  preters  of  the  laft  age  there  is  fcarce  one  of  note  who  hath  not 
"  made  fome  difcovery  worth  knowing."  But  our  greateil  o- 
bligations  are  ov/i ng  to  three  particular] 7",  Mr.  Alede,  Vitringa, 
and  Daubuz.  Wc  fhall  lind  reafon  generally  to  concur  with 
one  or  more  of  them;  b.it  as  they  often  differ  from  one  another, 
{o  we  fhall  differ  fo.metimes  from  all  tlie  three,  and  follow  other 
guides,  or  perhaps  no  guides  at  all.  What  fatisfacfion  we  may 
give  to  others,  is  very  uncertain;  we  lliall  at  leait  have  the  fa- 
tisfaclion  ourfelves  of  tracing  the  ways  of  Providence.  It  is 
little  encouragement  to  this  kind  of  ftudies  to  refledl,  that  two 
of  the  nioil  learned  men  of  their  times,  as  well  as  tv/o  of  the  beft 
interpreters  of  this  book,  Mr.  Mede  and  Mr.  Daubuz,  the  one 
died  a  fellow  of  a  college,  and  the  other  a  vicar  of  a  poor  vicarage 
in  Yorkiliire.  Mr.  Mode,  as  we  read  in  the  mem.oirs  of  his 
li»f-,  was  fo  modeft,  that  he  wimed  for  nothing  m.ore  than  a  do- 
native or  fmecurc  to  be  added  to  his  fellowihip;  but  even  this 
he  could  not  obtain. 

Alas!   what  boots  it  with  inceffant  c?/e 
To  tend  the  homely  flighted  fhepherd's  trade, 
And  ftridily  meditate  the  thanklefs  Mufe? 
Were  it  not  better  done  as  others  ufe.  Sec. 

Milton's  Lycidas. 

B'Jt,  however,  let  us  proceed,  encouraged  by  that  divine  be- 
nediction, Blcjj'^-l  is  he  that  readeth^  and  they  that  hear  the 
words  of  this  -prophecy^  and  keep  thcfe  things  zvhich  are  written 
therein. 

c  H  A  p.    I. 

'ME  Revelation  of  Jefus  Chrid:,  which  God  gave  unto 
him,  to  ihow  uato  his  fcrvanis  things  which  muft 
fhortly  come  to  pafs;  and  he  fent  and  fignified  it  by  his  anget 
unto  his  fcrvant  John, 

2.  V/ho  bare  record  of  the  word  of  God,  and  of  the  teftimony 
of  jc;fus  Chiin,  and  of  all  things  that  he  faw^ 

NOTE, 

(8)  Sir  Ifaac  Newton,  ibid,  P.  %.si- 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  i6^ 

3.  Blefled  is  he  that  readetli,  and  they  that  hear  the  words 
of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  thofe  things  which  are  written 
therein:  for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

The  book  opens  (verfes  i,  2,  3.)  with  the  title  or  infcrlptionr 
of  the  book  iticlf;  the  fcope  and  defign  of  it,  to  foretel  things 
which  fhould  fhortly  begin  to  be  fulfilled,  and  fucceed  in  their 
due  feafon  and  order,  till  all  were  accomplifhed;  and  the  blef- 
fing  pronounced  on  him  who  fhall  read  and  explain  it,  and  on 
them  who  fhall  hear  and  attend  to  it.  The  diflindion  is  re- 
markable of  him  that  rcadeth^  and  of  them  that  hear\  for  books 
being  then  in  manufcript  were  in  much  fewer  hands,  and  it  was 
a  much  readier  way  to  publifh  a  prophecy  or  any  thing  by  pub- 
lic reading  than  by  tranfcribing  copies.  It  was,  too,  the  cudom 
of  that  age  to  read  all  the  apoltolical  writings  in  the  congrega- 
tions of  the  faithful;  but  now  only  fome  few  parts  of  this  book 
are  appointed  to  be  read  on  certain  feftivals. 

4.  John  to  the  feven  churches  which  are  In  AHa:  Grace 
he  unto  you,  and  peace  from  him  v/hich  is,  and  which  was, 
and  which  is  to  come;  and  from  the  feven  fpirlts  which  are 
before  his  throne; 

5.  And  from  Jefus  Chrift,  who  Is  the  faithfal  witnefs, 
izWthe  firft-begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the  prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth:  Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  wafhed  us  from 
our  fms  in  his  own  blood, 

6.  And  hath  made  us  kings  and  prlefts  unto  God  and 
his  Father ;  to  him  he  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen. 

7.  Behold,  he  cometh  with  clouds;  and  every  eye  fhall 
fee  him,  and  they  alfo  which  pierced  him:  and  all  kindreds 
of  the  earth  fhall  wail  becaufe  of  him:  even  fo.     Amen. 

8.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end- 
ing, faith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is 
to  come,  the  Almighty. 

The  apoftle  dedicates  his  book  (verfes  4,  5,  6*)  to  the  i^szn 
churches  of  the  Lydian  or  proconfular  Aiia,  wifhing  them 
grace  and  peace  from  the  eternal  God  as  the  author  and  giver; 
and  from  the  feven  fpirits,  the  reprefentatives  and  minifters  of 
the  Holy  Ghoft,  as  the  inftruments;  and  from  Tefus  ChriH  as 

Vol.  II.  Y 


170  DiSSERTATIONSoji 

the  mediator,  who  is  mentioned  laft,  becaufe  the  fubfequcnt 
dircoLirle  more  immedmtely  relates  to  him.  To  the  dedication 
hc'  lulDJoins  a  fhort  and  folemn  preface,  (verfes  7,  8.)  to  fnow 
the  great  airthoritv  of  the  divine  perfoii,  who  had  commiilioned 
him  to  write  the  Revelation. 

9.  I  John,  who  alfo  am  your  brother,  and  companion  in 
tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
was  in  the  ifle  that  is  called  Patmos,  for  the  word  of  God, 
and  for  the  teftimony  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

10.  I  was  in  the  fpirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard  be- 
hind me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet,^ 

1 1.  Saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  firfl:  and  the  laft : 
and.  What  thou  feefl,  write  in  a  book,  and  fend  it  unto 
the  feven  churches  which  are  in  Afia;  unto  Ephefus,  and 
unto  Smyrna,  and  unto  Pergamos,  and  unto  Thyatira,  and 
unto  Sardis,  and  unto  Philadelphia,  and  unto  Laodicea. 

12.  And  I  turned  to  fee  the  voice  that  fpake  with  mc, 
and  being  turned,  I  faw  feven  golden  candlelHcks  j 

13.  And  in  the  midft  of  the  hvtn  candleflicks,  one  like 
unto  the  Son  of  Man,  cloathed  with  a  garment  down  to  the 

'foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle. 

14.  His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  aS 
white  as  fnow;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire; 

15.  And  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brafs,  as  if  they  burned  in 
a  furnace;  and  his  voice  as  the  found  of  many  waters. 

16.  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  feven  flars:  and  out  of 
his  mouth  went  a  (harp  two-edged  fword:  and  his  countc- 
nance  luas  as  the  fun  fhineth  in  his  flrength. 

17.  And  when  I  faw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead:  and 
he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  faying  unto  me,  Fear  not 5 
I  am  the  firft  and  the  lafh 

18.  /  a?n  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead;  and  behold  I  am 
alive  for  ever  more.  Amen;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and 
of  death. 

19.  Write  the  things  which  thou  haft  feen,and  the  things 
which  are,  and  the  things  which  fhall  be  hereafter. 

20.  The  myftcry  of  the  kwtn  ftars  which  thou  fa  weft  in 
my  right  hand,  and  the  feven  golden  candlefticks.  The  feven 
ftars  are  the  angels  of  thcf  ven  churches ;  and  the  fcvcn  caiv- 
dlcfticks  which  thou  faweft,  arc  the  feven  churches/ 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  tyi 

He  then  (verf.  9—20.)  mentions  the  place  where  the  Reve- 
lation was  given,  and  defcribes  the  manner  and  circumftanccs 
of  the  firft  villon.  The  place  where  the  Revelation  was  given 
was  Patmos,  a  defolnte  ifland  in  the  Archipelago,  v/bitlier  he 
was  banifned  for  the  confeffion  of  the  gofpel.  It  is  not  well 
known,  at  what  time,  or  by  whom  he  was  banifhcd  into  this 
ifland;  but  we  may  fuppofe  it  to  have  happened  in  the  reign  of 
Nero,  more  probablv  than  in  that  of  Domitian.  It  is,  indeed, 
the  more  general  opinion,  that  the  Apocalyps  was  written  in 
Domitian's  reign;  and  this  opinion  is  founded  upon  tlie  (9) 
teftimony  of  Irenasus,  who  was  the  difciple  of  Pplycarp,  wiio 
had  been  the  difciple  of  St.  John.  This  authority  is  great, 
and  is  made  flill  greater,  as  it  is  confirmed  by  (i)  Eufcbius,  in 
his  Chronicle,  and  in  his  Eccienaftical  Hiftory.  But  Eufebi- 
iis,  a  little  afterwards,  in  the  (2)  fame  hiftory,  recites  a  memo- 
rable ftory,  out  of  Clemens  Alexandrinus;  that  St.  John,  after 
he  returned  from  Patm.os,  committed  a  hopeful  young  m?,n  to 
the  care  of  a  certain  bilhop;  that  the  bifhop  received  him  into 
his  houfe,  educated,  in3R:ru(2:ed,  and  at  length  baptized  him; 
that  the  bifhop  afterwards  remitting  of  his  care  and  flridnefs, 
the  young  man  was  corrupted  by  idle  and  dilTolute  companions, 
revelled  with  them,  robbed  with  them,  and  forming  them 
into  a  gang  of  high-way-men,  was  made  their  captain,  and 
became  the  terror  of  all  the  country;  that  afcer  fome  time  St, 
John  coming  upon  other  occafions  to  revifit  the  fame  bifhop, 
inquired  after  the  young  man,  and  was  informed  that  he  was 
not  to  be  found  in  the  church,  but  in  fuch  a  mountain  with  his 
fellow-robbers  J  that  St.  John  called  for  a  horfe,  and  rode  im- 
mediately to  the  place;  that  when  the  young  man  faw  him,  he 
fled  away  from  him;  that  St.  John,  forgetting  his  age,  purfued 
eagerly  after  him,  recalled  him,  and  reftored  him  to  the  church. 
Now  all  thefe  tranfacStions  muft  necefTarily  take  up  fome  years, 
and  may  feem  credible  if  St,  John  was  banifhed  by  Nero,  but 
»re  altogether  impoffible  if  he  was  banifhed  by  Domitian;  for 
hefurvivcd  Domitian  but  a  very  few  years,  and  he  v/as  then 
pear  one  hundred  years  old,  and  fo  very  weak  and  infirm,  that 

NOTES. 

(9)  Iren.  ad  verf.  Ha^ref.  Lib.  ?,  Cap.  .30,  P.  449.    Edit.  Grabe. 

(i)  Eufebii  Chron.  Lib.  i.  Edit.  Scalig.  P.  80.  Gr.  P.  44.  Lat.  Vide 
etiam,  P.  164.  Libri  poflerioris,  ct  Chron.  Cau.  P.  208.  Ilift.  Ecclef. 
I*ib.  3,  Cap.  18. 

(a)  Eufeb.  Hill.  ibid.  Cap.  aj. 


iifZ  DISSERTATIONSoN 

he  (3)  was  with  great  difficulty  carried  to  church,  and  could 
hardly  fpeak  a  few  words  to  the  people,  and  much  lefs  ride 
brifkly  alter  a  young  robber,     Epiphanius  (4)  aiTerts,  that  he 
was  banifhcd  into  Patmos,  and  wrote  the  Apocalyps  there,  in 
the  reign  of  Claudius:  But  Epiphanius  being  not  a  correct 
writer,  he  might  poffibly  miftake  Claudius  for  his   fucceflbr 
Nero,  efpcciaily  as  Nero  had  afiumed  the  name  of  Claudius,  by 
whom  he  was  adopted,  Nero  Claudius  Caefar.     This  date  is, 
perhaps,  near  as  much  too  early,  as  the  time  of  Domitian  is  too 
late.     The  churches  of  Syria  have  thus   (5)   infcribed  their 
verfion,  "  The  Revelation  m^ade  to  John  the  Evangelift,  by 
"  God,  in  the  ifland  Patmos,  into  which  he  was  banifhed  by 
^'  Nero  the  Caefar."     'I'he  ancient  commentators,  (6)  Andreas 
and  Arethas,  affirm,  that  it  v/as  underftood  to  be  written  before 
the  deftrudion  of  Jerufalem.     But  if  it  was  written  before  the 
dcftruition  of  Jerufalem,  it  might  naturally  be  expeded  that 
fuch  a  memorable  event  Would  not  have  been   unnoticed  in 
this    prediction:  and   neither    was   it  unnoticed   in  this  pre- 
di£ticn,  as  will  be  (een  hereafter.     Our  Saviour's  repeating 
io  frequently  in  this  book.  Behold^  I  cojne  quickly — Behold^  he 
comcih  ivlth  clouds^  and  every  eye  jhali  fee  hini^  and  they  alfs 
who.  pierced  hifn^  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  f) all  %v ail  hecaufe 
of  bi?n^  and  the  like  expreffions  cannot  furely  be  fo  well  un~ 
^ierftood  of  any  other  event,  as  of  the  defl:ru£l:ion  of  Jerufalem, 
which  coming  was  aifo  fpoken  of  in  the  gofpels,  and  what  other 
coming  was  there  io  fpeedy  and  confpicuous?   So  many  fpuri- 
t>us  Apocalypfes,  written  by  Cerirtthus  and  others,  in  early 
times,  demoaftrate  evidently  that  the  Apocalyps  of  St.  John,  in 
imitation  whereof  they  were  written,  was  ftill  earlier,  and  was 
held  in  high  eftimation  among  Chriftians.     But  what  is  to  mc 
an  unanfwerable  argument,  the  ftile  itfelf,  fo  full  of  Hebraifms, 
and,  as  I  may  fiv,  fo  full  of  barbarifms,  and  even  folecifms,  as 
fome  (y)  even  of  the  ancients  have  obferved,  manifeftiy  evinces 

NOTES. 

(■;)  Hieron.  in  F.plft.  ad  Galat.  Cap.  6,  Tom.  4»  Pi^t.  Prior.    Col. 

314.     F.ciit.  Benedict. 

(4)  Epiphan.  adverf.  Ha^rcf.  Lib.  1,  Tom.  2,  Sed.  la,  P.  434>  Secft. 
33,  P.  456.     Edit.  Per^^v. 

"(5 )  Kcvelitio  quir  fafta  eft  Joanni  evaiigeliftx  a  Deo  in  Patmo  infu- 
k,  m  qucim  injcdt  js  fait  a  Nerone  Cspfare.  ^ 

(6)  Andreas  in  Apcc.  vi.  16.     A^reth.is  in  Apoc.  xviii.  19. 

(7)  Verum  dijftioncrn  (jus  non  admoduni  Grsccam  snirnddverto,  fed 
^jirbarifniis  arqiie  ipterdum  foloccifmis  inqaininaiain.  Diony'iiis  Alerv, 
•pud  Eui'eb.  ii'ft.  EjcIli.  Lib.  7,  Cap.  »>_* 


TriE    PROPHECIES.  173 

that  the  author  was  but  lately  come  out  of  Judea,  was  little  ac- 
cuftomed  to  write  in  Greek,  and  had  not  yet  attained  to  that 
greater  purity  of  ftile,  which  appcirs  in  his  Gofpels  and  Epif- 
tles.  On  the  contrary  it  is  urged,  that  there  are  internal  marks 
iii  the  book  itfelf,  of  its  being  of  a  later  date  than  Nero's  reign, 
that  the  churches  of  Afia  could  not  have  changed  and  degene- 
rated fo  much  in  fo  fhort  a  fpacc  of  time,  that  they  had  not  then 
been  expofed  to  pcrfecution,  nor  had  Antipas  fitfered  martyr- 
dom at  Pereamcs,  the  perfecutions  by  Nero  being  confined  to 
the  metropolis  of  the  empire.  But  why  might  not  St.  John 
charge  the  churches  of  Alia  with  having  decrenerated  and  fallen 
fro?n  their  firji  love^  as  well  as  St.  Paul  accufe  the  church  of  Co- 
rinth, 1  Cor.  iii.  3.^  of  being  f^r;?67/,  and  having  envy  in jr  and 
ftrife^  and  divifians  among  thcm\  or  complain  of  the  churches  of 
Galatia,  Gaiatians  i.  6.  "  I  marvel  that  ye  are  fo  foon  removed 
^'  from  them  that  called  you  into  the  grace  of  Chrift  unto  an- 
*'  other  gofpcl."  iii.  i.  *•'  O  foolifli  Gaiatians,  v/ho  hath  be- 
*'  witched  you  that  ye  fhould  not  obey  the  truth,  before  v/hofe 
*' eyes  Jefus  Chrift  hath  been  evidently  fet  forth;"  or  write 
to  Timothy,  the  firft  Bifhop  of  Ephefus,  2  Timothy  i.  15. 
*'  This  thou  knoweft,  that  all  they  which  are  in  Afia  be  turned 
"  away  from  me?"  Why  might  not  the  churches  of  Afia  be 
liable  to  perfecution,  when,  it  is  faid,  2  Timothy  iii.  12.  that 
'^  all  who  will  live  godly  in  Chrift  Jefus,  fiiall  fufter  perfecu- 
*'  tion;"  when  unto  the  Philippians,  i.  29.  "  It  was  given  in 
"  the  behalf  of  Chrill:,  not  only  to  believe  on  hini,  but  alfo  to 
^'  fuffer  for  his  fake;'*  and  when  the  Theffalonians,  i  Thef. 
ii.  14.  "  fufFered  like  things  of  their  own  countrymen,"  as  the 
churches  in  Judea  of  the  "Jews',  and  manifelied,  2  Thef.  i.  4. 
"  Their  patience  and  faith  in  all  their  perfecutions  and  tribu- 
^^  lations  v/hich  they  endured."  As  for  Antipas,  there  is  no 
genuine  hiftory  or  authentic  accoinit  of  him;  it  is  not  known 
who  or  wliat  he  was,  when  he  fufFercd,  or  wiio  caufed  him  to 
be  put  to  death,  fo  that  nothing  can  be  from  thence  inferred 
one  v/ay  or  other.  Neither  is  it  certain  that  the  perfecutions 
by  Nero  v/ere  confined  to  the  metropolis ;  they  raged,  indeed, 
moft  there,  but  were  extended  likewife  over  all  the  provinces, 
a:;.  (8)  Orofius  teftifies  with  others.     Sir  Ifaac  Newton  hath 

NOTE. 

(8)  Primus  lloma'Chtlfliunos  fiippliciis  ct  mortibus  affeclt;  ac  per 
omnes  provincias  pH'i  peifecuTion:^  c.vjiuciari  impciavit.  Lib.  7,  Cap.  7, 
X^  473*    £dit.  Mavsrcamp. 


174  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  N 

farther  (9)  fhowri,  that  in  the  Epiftles  of  St.  Peter,  and  in  St, 
Paul's  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  there  are  feveral  allufions  to  the 
book  of  the  Apocalyps;  and  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  all  the  an- 
cients agree,  fuffered  martyrdom  in  the  end  of  Nero's  reign. 
It  may,  indeed,  be  retorted,  that  St.  John  might  borrow  from 
St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  as  well  as  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul  from 
St.  John:  but  if  you  will  confider  and  compare  the  pafiages  to- 
gether, you  will  find  fufficient  reafon  to  be  convinced,  that  St. 
Peter's  and  St.  Paul's  are  the  copies,  and  St.  John  the  original. 
Moreover  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  this  Revelation  was  given 
en  the  Lord's  day^  when  the  apoftle's  heart  and  afFe6lions,  as  we 
may  reafonably  fuppofe,  were  fublimed  by  the  meditations  and 
devotions  of  the  day,  and  rendered  more  recipient  of  divine  in- 
fpi ration.  The  heavenly  vifions  were  vouchfafed  to  St.  John, 
as  they  were  before  to  Daniel,  (Daniel  ix.  x.)  after  fupplication 
and  prayer;  and  there  being  (i)  two  kinds  of  prophetic  reve- 
lation, in  a  vifion  and  a  dream;  the  Jews  accounted  a  vifion  fu- 
pcrior  to  a  dream,  as  reprefenting  things  more  perfedly,  and  to 
the  life. 

In  the  firft  vifion,  Jefus  Chrift,  or  his  angel  fpeaking  in  his 
name,  and  a6^ing  in  his  perfon,  appears  amid  the  f even  golden 
candlejlicks^  meaning  the  f even  churches.  His  cloathing  is  Ibme- 
what  like  the  high-prieft's,  and  he  is  defcribed  much  in  the  fame 
manner  as  the  divine  appearances  in  Daniel's  vifions.  (Daniel 
vii.  9.  X.  5,  &c.)  St.  John,  at  the  fight  of  fo  glorious  a  perfon, 
fell  down  fenfelefs  before  him,  as  Daniel  did  upon  the  fame  oc- 
cafion;  and  like  Daniel  too,  he  is  o;racioufly  raifed  and  encour- 
aged, and  commanded  to  write  the  things  which  he  hadfeen^ 
contained  in  this  chapter,  and  the  things  which  are^  the  prefcnt 
ftate  of  the  {tv^n  churches  reprefented  in  the  two  next  chapters, 
and  the  things  which  Jh all  he  hereafter^  the  future  events  which 
begin  to  be  exhibited  in  the  fourth  chapter,  as  it  is  there  faid, 
verfe  i.  "  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  fhow  thee  the  things  which 
"  muft  be  hereafter. 


VOTES. 

(9)  Sir  Ifaac  Newton's  Obfervations  upon  theApoc.  Chap.  r.  P, 
a.^o— 246. 

(i)  In  iftis  diiabns  partibus,  fomnio  et  vifionc,  contincntur  onnnes 
prophetix  gradus.  Malmon.in  More  Nevoch.  Part  2,  Cap- 36.  Seiith's 
Difcourfe  of  Prophecy,  Chap.  2,  P.  i74r  ^is- 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S,  J75 


CHAP.    II. 

\.  T  TNTO  the  angel  oF  the  church  of  Ephefus,  write, 
U    Thele  things  faith  he  that  holdeth  the  kven  ftarS 
in  his  right  hand,  who  walketh  in  the  midft  of  the  fevea 
golden  candleiKcks; 

2.  I  know  thy  works,  and  thy  labor,  and  thy  patience, 
and  how  thou  canft  not  bear  them  which  are  evil;  and 
thou  haft'tried  them  which  fay  they  are  apoftles,  and  are 
not;  and  haft  found  them  liars; 

3.  And  haft  borne,  and  haft  patience,  and  for  my  name's 
fake  h?ft  labored,  and  haft  not  fainted. 

4.  Neverthelefs,  I  h3.vefomewhat  againft  thee,  becaufe 
thou  haft  left  thy  firft  love. 

5.  Remember,  therefore,  from  whence  thou  art  fallen, 
and  repent,  and  do  the  firft  works ;  or  elfe  I  will  come  un- 
to thee  quickly,  and  will  remove  thy  candleftick  out  of  his 
place,  except  thou  repent. 

6.  But  this  thou  haft,  that  thou  hateft  the  deeds  of  the 
Nicolaitans,  which  I  alfo  hate. 

7.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
faith  unto  the  churches.  To  him  that  overcometh  I  will 
give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midft  of  the 
paradife  of  God. 

8.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna,  write, 
Thefe  things  faith  the  firft  and  the  laft,  which  was  dead, 
and  is  alive ; 

9.  I  know  thy  works,  and  tribulation,  and  poverty,  (but 
thou  art  rich)  and  /  k?7ow  the  blafphcmy  of  them  which  fay 
they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  aj-e  the  fynagogue  of  Satan. 

10.  Fear  none  of  thefe  things  which  thou  fhalt  fuffer: 
behold,  the  devil  ftiall  caft  fome  of  you  into  prifon,  that  ye 
may  be  tried;  and  ye  ihall  have  tribulation  ten  days :  be  thou 
faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crovi^n  of  life. 

11.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
faith  unto  the  churches.  He  that  overcometh,  fhali  not  be 
hurt  of  the  fecond  death. 

12.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Pergamus,  v/rite, 
Thefe  things  faith  he,  which  hath  the  (harp  fvwrd  v/ith 
two  edges  j 


176  DISSERTATIONS    ON 

13.  I  know  thy  works  and  where  thou  dwcllcft,  c\jc7i 
where  Satan's  feat  is:  and  thou  holdeft  faft  my  name,  and 
haft  not  denied  my  faith,  even  in  thofe  days  wherein  Anti- 
pas  ivas  my  faithful  martyr,  who  was  llain  among  you, 
where  Satan  dwelleth. 

14.  But  I  have  a  fev/  things  againft  thee,  becaufe  thou 
haft  there  them  that  hold  trie  dodrinc  of  Balaam,  who 
taugiit  Balac  to  caft  a  ftumbling-block  before  the  children 
of  Ifrael,  to  eat  things  facrificed  unto  idols,  and  commit 
fornication. 

15.  So  haft  thou  alfo  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of  the 
Nicolaitans,  which  thing  I  hate. 

16.  Repent;  or  elfe  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and 
will  fight  againft  them  with  the  fword  of  my  mouth. 

17.  He  that  hath  an  car  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
faith  unto  the  churches.  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give 
to  eat  of  the  hidden  m.anna,  and  v/ill  give  him  a  white  ftone, 
and  in  the  ft  one  a  new  name  written,  which  no  man  know- 
eth,  faving  he  that  rcceiveth  it, 

\%.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira, 
write,  Thefe  things  faith  the  Son  of  God,  who  hath  his  eyes 
like  unto  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like  fine  brafsj 

19.  I  know  thy  works,  and  charity,  and  fervice,  and 
faith,  and  thy  patience,  and  thy  works;  and  the  laft  to  be 
more  than  the  firft. 

20.  Notwithftanding,  I  have  a  few  things  againft  thee, 
becaufe  thou  fufFereft  that  woman  Jezebel,  which  calleth 
herfelf  a  prophetcfs,  to  teach  and  to  fcduce  my  fervants  to 
commit  fornication,  and  to  eat  things  facrificed  unto  idols. 

21.  And  I  gave  her  fpace  to  repent  of  her  fornication, 
and  file  repented  not. 

22.  Behold,  I  will  caft  her  into  a  bed,  and  them  that 
commit  adultery  with  her  into  great  tribulation,  except  they 
repent  of  ih^^ir  deeds. 

23.  And  I  will  kill  her  children  with  death;  and  all  the 
chuiches  ftiall  know  that  I  am  he  which  fearcheth  the  reins 
and  hearts;  and  1  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you  accord- 
ing  to  your  works. 

24.  But  unto  you  I  fay,  and  unto-  the  reft  in  Thyatira, 
As  many  as  have  not  this  do61:rine,  and  which  have  noc 
known  the  depths  of  Satan,  as  they  fpeak,  I  will  put  upoii 
you  none  other  burthen. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  177 

25  But  that  v/hich  ye  have  already^  hold  faft  till  I 
come. 

26  And  he  that  overcometh  and  keepcth  my  works 
unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  power  over  the  nations  : 

27  (And  he  fhall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron  :  as  the 
vefTels  of  a  potter  fhall  they  be  broken  to  fhivers)  even  as 
I  received  of  my  Father. 

28  And  I  will  give  him  the  morning  ftar. 

29  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
faith  unto  the  churches. 


CHAP.    III. 


1     A    ND  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis,  write, 
x\^  Thefe  things  faith  he  that  hath  the  feven   Spirits 
of  God,  and  the  {tvQVi  ftars  ;  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou 
haft  a  name,  that  thou  liveft,  and  art  dead. 

2  Be  watchful  and  ftrengthen  the  things  which  remain, 
that  are  ready  to  die  :  for  I  have  not  found  thy  works 
perfect  before  God. 

3  Remember  therefore  how  thou  haft  received  and 
heard,  and  hold  faft,  and  repent.  If  therefore  thou  flialt 
not  watch,  I  will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief,  and  thou  fhalt 
not  know  what  hour  I  will  come  upon  thee. 

4  Thou  haft  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis,  which  have 
not  defiled  their  garments ;  and  they  ftiall  walk  with  me 
in  white  :  for  they  are  worthy. 

5  He  that  overcometh,  the  fame  ftiall  he  clothed  in 
white  raiment ;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of 
the  book  of  life,  but  I  will  confefs  his  name  before  my 
Father  and  before  his  angels. 

6  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
faith  unto  the  churches. 

7  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia,  write, 
Thefe  things  faith  he  that  is  holy,  he  that  is  true,  he 
that  hath  the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth,  and  no  man 
ftiutteth  ;  and  ftiutteth,  and  no  man  openeth  : 

8  I  know  thy  works :  behold,  I  have  fet  before  thee 
an  open  door,  and  no  man  can  fliut  it :  for  thou  haft  a 
little  ftrength,  and  haft  kept  my  word,  and  haft  not  de- 
nied my  name. 

Vol.  IL  Z 


178        DISSERTATIONS 


ON 


9  Behold,  I  will  make  them  of  the  fynagogue  of  Satan 
(which  fay  they  are  Jew?,  and  are  not,  but  do  lie)  be- 
hold, I  will  make  them  to  come  and  worfhip  before  thy 
feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved  thee. 

10  Becaufe  thou  haft  kept  the  word  of  my  patience,  I 
alfo  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  which 
fhall  come  upon  all  the  world,  to  try  them  that  dwell 
upon  the  earth. 

11  Behold,  I  come  quickly:  hojd  that  faft  which  thou 
haft,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown. 

12  Him  that  overcometh,  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  th(? 
temple  of  my  God,  and  he  ihall  go  no  more  out :  and  1 
will  write  upon  him  the  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name 
of  the  chy  of  my  God,  zvhich  is  new  Jerufaem,  which 
cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God :  and  /  will 
write:  upon  him  my  new  name, 

13  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
faith  unto  the  churches. 

14  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  the  Laodice- 
ans,  write,  Thefe  things  faith  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and 
true  witnefs,  the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God  ; 

15  I  know  thy  works  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor 
hot :  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot. 

16  So  then  becaufe  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither 
cold  nor  hot,  I  will  fpue  thee  out  of  my  mouth : 

17  Becaufe  thou  fayeft,  I  am  rich,  and  increafed  with 
goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing :  and  knoweft  not  that 
thou  art  wretched,  and  miferable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked. 

18.I  counfel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
that  thou  mayeft  be  rich ;  and  white  raiment,  that  thou 
mayeft  be  cloathed,  and  that  the  fharae  of  thy  nakednefs 
do  not  appear;  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-falve,  that 
thou  mayeft  fee. 

19  As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke,  and  chaften :  be  zeal- 
ous  therefore,  and  repent* 

20  Behold,  I  ftand  at  the  door,  and  knock  :  If  any  man 
hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him, 
and  will  fup  with  him,  and  he  with  me. 

21.  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  fit  with  me 
in  my  throne,  even  as  I  alfo  overcame,  and  am  fet  down 
'with  my  Father  i|j  hi5  throne. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


if9 


22  Ke  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
faith  unto  the  churches. 

The  fecond  and  third  chapters  contain  the  {qvqr  epi files  to 
the  fcven  churches  of  Afia,  Ephefus,  Smyrna,  Perganios,  Thy- 
atira,  Sardis,  Philadelphia,  and  Laodicea.  Thele  fiven  are 
addrelTed  particularly,  becaufe  they  were  under  St.  John's  im- 
mediate inrpe6tion  :  he  (a)  conftituted  biihops  over  them  ;  he 
was,  as  it  were,  their  metropolitan,  and  refided  much  at  EpHe- 
fus,  which  is  therefore  named  the  firft  of  the  feven.  The  m.dii 
fubje61:s  too  of  this  book  are  comprifed  of  fevens ;  (cYen 
churches,  feven  feals,  (even  trumpets,  and  (even  vials  ;  as  (even 
was  alfo  a  myftical  number  throughout  the  Old  Teftament* 
Many  contend,  and  among  them  fuch  learned  men  as  More 
and  Vitringa,  that  the  (^vtii  epiftles  are  prophetical  of  fo  many 
fucceffive  periods  and  ftates  of  the  church,  from  the  beginniiig 
to  the  conclufion  of  all.  But  it  doth  not  appear  that  there  are 
or  were  to  be  (even  periods  of  the  church,  neither  more  nor 
lefs  ;  and  no  two  men  can  agree  in  aligning  the  fame  periods. 
There  are  likewife  in  thele  epiftles  feveral  innate  characlt  i  s, 
which  are  peculiar  to  the  church  of  that  age,  and  cannot  be  fo 
Well  applied  to  the  church  of  any  other  age.  Bcfides  other 
arguments,  there  is  alfo  this  plain  f  eafon  :  the  laft  ftate  of  the 
church  is  defcribed  in  this  very  book,  as  the  moft  glorious  of 
all ;  but  in  the  laft  ftate  in  thefe  epiftles,  that  of  Laodicea,  the 
church  is  reprefented  as  zuretched^  and  miferable^  and  poor ^  and 
hlind^  and  naked. 

But  though  thefe  epiftles  have  rather  a  literal  than  a  myftical 
meaning,  yet  they  contain  excellent  moral  precepts  and  exhor- 
tations, commendations  and  reproofs,  promifes  and  threatnings^ 
which  may  be  ot  ufe  and  inftru6tion  to  the  church  in  all  ages. 
The  form  and  order  of  the  parts  you  will  find  the  fame  almoft 
in  all  the  epiftles :  firft,  a  command  to  write  ;  then,  fome  cha- 
ra6ter  and  attributes  of  the  fpeaker,  taken  from  the  vifioa  in 
the  firft  chapter,  and  appropriated  to  the  matter  of  each  epiftle  ; 
then  commendations  or  reproofs,  with  fuitable  promifes  or 
threatnings  ;  and  then  in  all  the  fame  conclufion.  He  that  hath 
an  edVy  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  faith  unto  the  churches. 
What  therefore  the  Spirit  faith  unto  one   church,  he  faith  in 

{a)  TertuU.  adverf.  Marcion.  Lib.  4,  Sed.  5.  P.  415.  Edit.  Ri- 
galtii.  Paris.  1675.  Millii  Prolegom.  in  Nov.  Teft.  P.  20. 


iSo        DISSERTATIONS     on 

fome  meafure  to  all  the  churches.     The  church  of  Ephefus  in 
particular  is  adtnonifhed  to   repent,  and  forewarned  that  if  fhe 
would  not  repent,    her  candleftick  Jhould  he  re??ioved  out  of  his 
place.    But  this  admonition  belonged  equally  to  all  the  churches; 
and  hath  not  the  candleftick  been  accordingly  removed  out  of 
its  place,  and  the  light  of  the  gofpel  taken  from  them  ?     Were 
they  not  ruined  and  overthrown  by  their  herefies  and  divlfions 
from  within,  and  by  the  arms  of  the  Saracens  from  without  ? 
And  doth  not  Mohammedifm  ftill  prevail  and  profper  in  thofe 
countries,   which   were   once  the  glory  of  Chriftendom,  their 
churches  turned  into  mofques,  their  worfhip  into  fuperftition  ? 
Ephefus  in  particular,  [a)  which  was  once  fo  magnificent  and 
glorious  a  city,  is  become  a  mean,  fordid  village,  with  fcarcely 
a  ilngle  family  of  Chriftians  dwelling  in  it,  as  approved  authors 
teftify.   To  the  church  of  Smyrna  it  is  predi6ted,  that  fhe  fhould 
have  tribulation  ten  days^  or  ten  years^  according  to  the  ufual 
llile  of  prophecy ;  and  the  greateft  perfecution  that  the  primi- 
tive church  ever  endured,  was  the   perfecution  of  Diocletian, 
which  lafted  [h]  ten  years,  and  grieveoufly  afflifted  all  the  Afian, 
and  indeed  all  the  eaftern  churches.     This  charadler  can  agree 
to  none  of  the  other  general  perfecutions,  for  none  of  the  others 
lafted  [c)  (o  long  as    ten  years.     As  the   commendatory  and 
reproving  part  of  thefe  epiftles   exhibits  the  prefent  ftate  of  the 
churches,  fo  the  promiflory  and  threatning  part  foretels  fome- 
thing  of  their  future  condition  ;  and  in  this   fenfe,  and  in  none 
other,  can  thefe  epiftles  be  faid  to  be  prophetical. 

The  firft  epiftle  is  addrefled  to  the  church  of  Ephefus,  as  it 
was  the  metropolis  of  the  Lydian  Afia,  and  the  place  of  St. 
John's  principal  refidence.  It  was,  according  to  {d)  Strabo, 
one  of  the  belt  and  moft  glorious  cities,  and  the  greateft  em- 
porium of  the   proper  Afia.     It  is  called  by  Pliny  {e)  one  of 

{a)  Hodie  enim  hsc  urbs  Afianse  olim  magniycentiie  exemplum, 
plane  fordet,  cafulis  et  gurgui'.iis  deformata,  non  civiras,  fed  victis: 
ct  vix  ibidem  fupereft  una  Chiiiiianorum  familia,  ut  ex  certis  conlbt 
teftibus,  iifdemqueeruditis  viris,  qui  hodiernam  Ephefum  delcripfe- 
runt.  Smitho  (Notit.  Sept.  Ecclef.  Af.  P.  4.)  et  Ricaultio.  (de  Stat. 
Eccl.  Gra?c.  P    50.)  Vitring.  P.  72.  73. 

[h)  Eufeb.  Ecclef.  Hift.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  15  et  16.  Levant.  deMort. 
Perfecut.  Cap.  48. 

{c)  Quae  perfecutio  omnibtis  fere  ante  adis  diuturnioi — Nam  per 
decern  annos,  &c.  Ores  Lib.  7.  Cap.  25.  P.  528.  Edit.  Havercamp. 

{d)  Strabo,  Lib.  14.  P.  634.  Isdit.  Paris.  P.  941.  Edit.  Amilel. 
1707.  Lib.  12.  P.  577.  Edit.  Paris.  P.  865.  Edit.  Am.ftel.  1707. 

(^)  Plin.  Nat.  Hill.  Lib.  5.  Cap.  31.  P.  280.  Edit.  Harduin. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  i8i 

the  eyes  of  Afia,  Smyrna  being  the  other  :  but  now,  as  eye-wlt- 
nefTes  (a)  have  related,  it  is  venerable  for  nothing  but  tiie  ruins 
of  pa.aces,  temples,  and  ampitheatres.  It  is  called  by  the 
Turks  Ajafaluk,  or  the  temple  of  the  Moon,  from  the.  magnifi- 
cent flrudturt  formerly  dedicated  to  Diana.  The  church  (j(  St. 
Paul  is  wholly  deftroyed.  The  little  that  remains  of  that  of 
St.  Mark  is  nodding  to  ruin.  The  only  church  remaining  i$ 
that  dedicated  to  St.  John,  vi'hich  is  now  converted  into  a 
Turkifh  mofque.  The  whole  town  is  nothing  but  a  habitation 
for  herdfmen  and  fariuers,  living  in  low  and  humble  cottages 
of  dirt,  ihelccred  from  the  extremities  of  v/eather  by  mighty 
mafles  of  ruinous  walls  ;  the  pride  and  oftentation  of  former 
days,  and  the  emblciii  in  thefe,  of  the  frailty  of  the  world,  and 
the  tranfient  vanity  of  human  glory.  All  the  inhabitants  of 
this  once  famous  city  amount  not  now  to  above  forty  or  fifty 
families  of  Turks,  without  one  Chridian  family  among  them  : 
fo  ftrikingly  hath  the  denunciation  been  fulfilled,  that  their  r^«- 
dlejiick  Jhould  be  removed  out  of  his  place. 

Smyrna  was  the  neareft  city  to  Ephefus,  and  for  that  reafon 
probably  was  addrefled  in  the  fecond  place.  It  it  fituated  [h) 
on  lower  ground  than  the  ancient  city^  and  lieth  about  forty- 
live  miles  northward  of  Ephefus.  It  is  called  Efmir  by  the 
Turks,  and  is  celebrated  not  fo  much  for  the  fplendor  and  pomp 
of  the  buildings  (for  they  are  rathr  mean  and  ruinous)  as  for 
the  number,  and  wealth,  and  commerce  of  the  inhabitants. 
The  Turks  have  here  fifteen  mofques,  and  the  Jews  feveral 
fvnagogues.  Among  thefe  enemies  of  the  Chriftian  name,  the 
Chriftian  religion  alio  flourifhes  in  fome  degree.  Smyrna  ftill 
retains  the  dignity  of  a  metropolis,  although  there  are  only  two 
churches  of  the  Greeks.  But  bendes  them,  here  is  a  great 
nember  of  Citizens  of  all  nations,  fe6ls,  and  languages.  The 
Latin  church  hath  a  monaftery  of  Francifcans.  The  Armeni- 
ans have  one  church.  But  the  Englifh,  who  are  the  moft 
confiderable  number,  next  to  the  Greeks  and  Armenians,  have 
only  a  chapel  in  the  conful's  houfe  ;  which  is  a  ihame,  fays 
Wheler,conndering  the  great  wealth  they  heap  up  here,  beyond 
all  the   reft  :  yet  they  commonly  excel .  them  in  their  paftor  ^ 

i^a)  Smith  Sept.  Afis  Ecclef.  Notit.  Rycaut's  Prefent  State  of  the 
Greek  Church,  Chap.  2.  Whaler  and  Spoil's  Vcyr.ge,  B.  3.  Van 
Egmont's  and  Heyman's  Travels.  Vol.  I.  Chap.  9. 

{b)  Smith,  Rycaut,  V/heler  and  Spon,  ibid.  Van  Egmont's  and 
Heyman's  Travels,  Chap.  8. 


i82        DISSERTATIONS    on 

for  I  efteem  a  good  Englifh  priefl-,  an  evangelift,  if  compared 
with  anv  of  the  reft.  Frequent  plagues  and  earthquakes  are 
the  great  calamities  of  the  place;  but  the  Chriftians  are  here 
more  confiderable,  and  in  a  far  better  condition,  than  in  any 
other  of  the  feven  churches :  as  if  the  promife  was  in  fome 
meafure  made  good  to  Smyrna,  Fsar  none  of  thofe  things^which 
thou  jhalt  fiiffer  ;  he  thou  faithful  unto  deaths  and  I  will  give 
ihee  a  crown  of  life. 

Pergamus,  formerly  the  metropolis  of  the  Hellefpontic  My- 
fia,  and  the  feat  of  the  Attalic  kings,  is  [a)  bv  the  Turks  with 
fome  little  variation  ftill  called  Bergamo,  and  hath  its  fituation 
about  fixty-four  miles  to  the  north  of  Smyrna.  Here  are  fome 
good  buildings,  but  more  ruins.  All  the  city  almoft  is  occu- 
pied by  the  Tui  ks,  very  few  families  of  Chriftians  being  left, 
whofe  ftate  is  very  fad  and  deplorable.  Here  is  only  one  church 
remaining,  dedicated  to  St.  Theodorus  ;  and  that  the  name  of 
Chrift  is  not  wholly  loft  and  forgotten  in  Pergamus,  is  owing 
to  the  care  of  the  metropolitan  of  Smyrna,  who  continually 
fendeth  hither  a  prieft  to  perform  the  facred  offices.  The  ca- 
thedral church  of  St.  John  is  buried  in  its  own  ruins  ;  theif 
ano-el  or  bifhop  removed ;  and  its  fair  pillars  adorn  the  graves, 
and  rotten carcafes  of  its  deftroyers,  the  Turks;  who  are  efteem- 
cd  about  two  or  three  thoufand  fouls  in  number.  Its  other 
fine  church,  called  Santa  Sophia,  is  turned  into  a  mofque,  and 
daily  profaned  with  the  blafphemies  of  the  falfe  prophet. 
There  are  not  In  the  whole  town  above  a  dozen  or  fifteen  fa- 
milies of  miferable  Chriftians,  who  till  the  ground  to  gain  their 
bread,  and  live  in  the  moft  abject  and  fordid  fervitude.  There 
is  the  lefs  reafon  to  wonder  at  the  v/retched  condition  of  this 
church,  when  we  confidcr  that  it  was  the  very  throne  of  Satan  : 
that  th^v  ran  greedily  after  the  error  of  Balaam^  to  eat  things 
facrificed  unto  idols.,  and  to  commit  fornication  ;  and  that  the^ 
held  the  impure  doctrines  of  the  Nicolaitans.,  which  Chrijl  de^ 
tejied.  It  v/as  denounced  unto  them  to  repent.,  or  elfe  he  would 
come  unto  the?n  quickly.,  and  fght  againft  them.,  as  the  event 
evinces  that  he  hath  done. 

Next  to  Pergamus  is  Thyatira  {h)  fituated  at  the  diftance 
of  about  forty-eight  miles  to  the  fouth-eaft.  Certain  heretics 
called  Jlogi  (which  may  not  improperly  be  interpreted  tmrea- 


{a)  Smith,  Rycaut,  Wheler  and  Spon,  ibid. 
\b)  Smith  and  Rycaut,  ibid. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  183 

Jonahle  menjhave  {^)  affirmed,  but  have  only  affirmed  without 
any  proof,  that  at  the  time  of  St.  John's  writing,  there  was  no 
Chrillian  church  at  Thyatira.  Kpiphanius  admits  it,  and 
thence  infers  that  St.  John  muft  have  written  with  a  prophe- 
tic fpirit.  The  objection  is  frivolous,  and  Epiphanius  might 
have  returned  a  better  anfwer  than  argumentiun  ad  homineSy 
and  inftead  of  allowing  the  fa6l  and  arguing  from  thence  for 
the  divinity  of  the  book,  he  fnould  abfolutely  have  denied  their 
affirmation.  For  there  is  no  juft  reaton  for  doubting,  that  at 
this  time  there  v/as  a  Chriftian  church  at  Thyatira.  This  ve- 
ry epiftle  is  a  fufficient  proof  of  it.  It  is  faid  exprefsly,  A6ls 
xix.  10.  that  ''•  all  they  who  dwelt  in  Afia,"  meaning  Afia  Mi- 
nor, "heard  the  word  of  the  Lord  Jefus,  both  Jews  and 
Greeks;"  and  what  ground  is  there  for  thinking  that  the 
city  of  Thyatira  was  alone  excepted  ?  It  is  faid  particularly, 
Ads  xvi.  14.  that  "  Lydia,"  an  eminent  trader  and  "  feller  of 
purple  of  the  city  of  Thyatira,  was  baptized  with  her  houfe- 
hold.''  At  prefenc  the  city  is  called  by  the  Turks  [b)  Akhifar, 
or  the  white  calHe,  from  the  great  quantities  of  whi;e  ma*ble 
there  abounding.  Only  one  ancient  edifice  is  left  ftanding. 
The  relt,  even  the  Churches,  are  fo  deilroyed,  that  no  vefticres 
of  them  are  to  be  found.  The  principal  inhabitants  are  Turks, 
who  have  here  eight  mofques,  when  not  fo  much  as  one  Chrif- 
tian  church  is  flill  remaining.  So  terribly  have  the  divine 
judgments  been  poured  upon  this  church  for  committing  for- 
nication^ and  eating  things  facrificed  unto  idols  :  And  I  gave 
her  fpace  to  repent  of  her  fornication^  and  Jhe  repented  not. 

Sardis,  once  the  renowned  capital  of  Croefus  and  the  rich 
Lydian  kings,  {c)  is  now  no  longer  worthy  of  the  name  of  a 
city.  It  lieth  about  thirty-three  miles  to  the  fouth  of  Thyatira, 
and  is  called  by  the  Turks  Sart  or  Sard,  with  little  or  no 
variation  from  the  old  original  name.  It  is  a  moft  fad  fpe61:acle, 
nor  can  one  forbear  weeping  over  the  ruins  of  fo  great  a  city. 
For  now  it  is  no  more  than  an  ignoble  village,  with  low  and 
wretched  cottages  of  clay;  nor  hath  it  any  other  inhabitants, 
befides  fhepherds  and  herdfmen,  who  feed  their  flocks  and  cat- 
tle in  the  neighbouring  plains.     Yet  the  great  extent  and  gran- 


{d)  Epiphan.  adverf,  Haeref.  Lib.  2.  Tom.  i.  Cap.  33.  P.  455. 
Vol.  II.  Edit.  Petav. 

{b)  Smith  and  Rycaut,  ibid. 

(f )  Smith,  Rycaut,  Whaler  and  Spon.  ibid.  Van  Egmont's  and 
Heyman's  Travels,  Cap.  10. 


iS4  DISSERTATIONS     on 

deur  of  the  ruins  abundantly  fhow,  how  large  and  fplendid  a 
city  it  was  formerly.  The  Turks  themfelves  have  only  one 
mofque,  a  beautiful  one  indeed,  perverted  to  that  ufe  from  a 
ChriTian  church.  Very  few  Chriftians  are  here  to  be  found  ; 
and  they  with  great  patience,  or  rather  fenfelefs  ftupidity,  fuf- 
tain  a  miferable  f^rvicude ;  ??nd  wh^.  is  far  more  miferable,  are 
without  a  church,  without  :i  ■  ri-i-i'l  among  them.  Such  i?  the 
deplorable  ftate  of  once  the  moit  glorious  city  :  but  her  works 
were  not  found  perfeSfj  that  is  they  were  found  blameable,  be- 
fore God',  ihe  was  dead,  even  while  {he  lived \  and  fhe  is 
punifhed  accordingly. 

Philadelphia,  fo  called  from  Attalus  Philadelphus  its  builder, 
{a)  is  diflant  from  Sardis  about  twenty-feven  miles  to  the 
fouth-eaft.  It  is  called  by  the  Turks  Alah  Shahr,  or  the  beau- 
tiful city,  on  account  of  its  delightful  fituation,  ftanding  on  the 
declivity  of  the  mountain  Traolus,  and  having  a  moft  pleafant 
profpect  on  the  plains  beneath,  well  furnifhed  with  divers  vil- 
lages, and  watered  by  the  river  Pa^tolus.  It  ft  ill  retains  the 
form  of  a  city,  v/ith  fomething  of  trade  to  invite  the  people 
to  it,  being  the  road  of  the  Perfian  caravans.  Here  is  little  of 
antiquity  remaining,  befides  the  ruins  of  a  church  dedicated  to 
St.  John,  which  is  now  made  a  dunghill  to  receive  the  ofFals 
of  dead  beafts.  Howfoever,  God  hath  been  pleafed  to  preferve 
fome  of  this  place  to  make  profeffion  of  the  Chriftian  faith, 
there  being  above  two  hundred  houfes  of  Chriftians,  and  four 
churches ;  whereof  the  chlf.  f  is  dedicated  to  Panagia  or  the 
holy  Virgin;  the  c*^er  to  St.  George  v.^ho  is  of  great  fame 
among  the  oriental  Chriftians;  the  third  to  St.  Theodore; 
and  the  fourth  to  St.  Taxiarchus,  as  St.  Michael  the  arch-an- 
gel is  called  by  the  Greeks.  Next  to  Smyrna  this  city  hath 
3ic  grcateft  number  of  Chriftians,  and  Chrift  hn'h  promifed  a 
more  particular  protection,  to  wit ;  /  knciv  thy  v.  orks  :  behold^ 
I  have  fet  before  thee  on  open  door^  and  none  can  fhut  it :  for 
ihou  hafi  a  little  Jlrength.,  and  haji  keft  my  word^  and  hojl  not 
denied  my  name,  Becaufe  thou  haft  kept  the  ivord  of  my  pati- 
ence, I  alfo  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  zvhich 
jlmll  come  upon  ail  the  world,  4o  try  them  that  rHuell  upon  the 
earth.  Than  which,  as  Di.  Spon  faith,  what  could  be  f  id 
more  formally  to  foretcl  the  coming  of  the  Turks,  the  open 
enemies  of  Chriftianity ;  who  fccm   to  be  font  on  purpofe  for 


{a)  Smith,  Rvcaut,  Vy'hcl-r  and  Spon.  ibid. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  185 

the  puniiliment  of  our  crimes,  and  to  diflinguifh  the  faitliful 
from  the  falfc  Chriflians,  who  pretend  to  be  fo,  and  are  not  ? 

Laodicca  lay  fouth  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  way  to  return  to 
Ephefus:  and  if  you  will  infpetSl  the  maps  of  Afia  Minor,  you 
will  find  the  kven  churches  to  lie  in  a  kind  of  circular  form, 
fo  that  die  natural  progrefs  was  from  Ephefus  to  Smyrna,  from 
Smyrna  to  Pcrgamus,  from  Pergamus  to  Thyatira,  from 
Thyatira  to  Sardis,  from  Sardis  to  Philadelphia,  from 
Philadelphia  to  Laodicea,  and  from  Laodicea  round  to  Ephe- 
fus again ;  which  is  the  method  and  order  that  St.  John 
hath  obferved  in  addrefiing  them,  and  v/as  probably  the  circuit 
that  he  took  in  his  vifitation.  That  there  was  a  fiourifliing 
church  at  Laodicea  in  the  primitive  times  of  Chriftianity,  is 
evident  from  St.  Paul's  Epiftje  to  the  Coloffians,  wherein  fre- 
quent mention  is  made  of  the  Laodiceans,  as  well  as  from  this 
Epilllc  of  St.  John.  But  the  doom  of  Laodicca  {a)  fcemeth 
to  have  been  more  fevere  and  terrible  than  that  of  almoft  any 
other  of  the  feven  churches.  For  it  is  now  utterly  delfroyed 
and  forfaken  of  men,  and  is  become  an  habitation  only  for 
wolves,  foxes,  and  jackalls,  a  den  of  dragons,  fnakes  and  vi- 
pers. And  that  becaufe  the  Lord  hath  executed  the  judgment, 
that  he  had  pronounced  upon  her :  that  all  the  world  might 
know  and  tremble  at  the  fierce  anger  of  Go^d  againft  impeni- 
tent, negligent,  and  carelefs  finners.  For  fuch  was  the  accufa- 
tion  of  the  lukewann  Laodiceans,  who  grew  proud  and  felf- 
conceited,  thinking  themfelves  much  better  than  they  really 
were.  Wherefore,  becaufe  they  were  neither  hot  nor  cold^ 
they  were  loathfome  to  Chrift  :  and  he  therefore  aflured  them, 
that  he  ivouldfpue  them  out ^of  his  mouth. 

The  ruins  fhow  it  to  have  been  a  very  great  city,  fituate 
upon  fix  or  feven  hills,  and  incompafling  a  large  fpace  of  ground. 
Some  notion  may  be  formed  of  its  former  greatnefs  and  glo- 
ry from  three  theatres  and  a  circus  which  are  remaining ;  one 
of  which  is  truly  admirable,  as  it  was  capable  of  containing  a- 
bove  thirty  thoufand  men,  into  whofe  area  they  defcended  by 
fifty  fteps.  This  city  is  now  called  Eflci  Hifar,  or  the  old  ca- 
ftle  ;  and  though  it  was  once  the  mother  church  of  fixtcen  bi- 
fhoprics,  yet  it  now  lieth  defolate,  not  fo  much  as  inhabited  by 
ihepherds,  and  fo  far  from  fliowing  any  ot  the  ornaments  of 
God's  ancient  worfbip,  it  cannot  now  boaft  of  an  anchorite's 
hermit's  chapel,    where   God's  name  is  praifed   or  invoked. 

Vol.  IL  A  a 

■       I       I  I  I  I   ■  .  .1 ■■■im 

[a)  Smith,  Rycaui,  Wheler  and  Spon.  ibid. 


i86        DISSERTATIONS    on 

Such  is  the  {t:il€  and  condition  of  thefe  feven  once  glorious 
and  flourifningcharches  ;  and  there  cannot  be  a  ftronger  proof 
of  the  truth  of  prophecy,  nor  a  more  eiFecSlual  warning  to  other 
Chriilians.  "  Thele  objects,  as  Wheler  (rt)  juli:ly  obferve?, 
"  ought  to  make  us,  who  yet  enjoy  thedi.inc  mercies,  ^o 
"  tremble  and  earneftly  contend  to  find  out  frorn  whence  we 
"  are  fallen^  and  do  daily  fall  from  bad  to  worfe  ;  that  God  is 
**  a  God  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity:  and  feeing  the 
*'  axe  is  thus  long  fmce  put  to  the  root  of  the  tree^  fhould  it  not 
*'  make  us  repent  and  turn  to  God,  left  we  likewife  perijh  r' — 
**  We  fee  here  what  def}ru£iion  the  Lord  hath  brought  upon  the 
*'  earth.  But  it  is  the  Lord's  doing:  and  thence  we  m.ay  reap 
<'  no  fmall  advantage,  by  conndering  how  jufi  he  is  in  all  his 
*'  judgments-^  2>x\^  faithful  in  all  his  promifes.''  We  may  truly 
fay,  I  Cor.  x.  ii,  12.  that  "all  thefe  things  happened  unto 
<'  them  for  enfamples:  and  they  are  written  for  our  adm.onition 
"  upon. whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come.  Wherefore* 
*«  let  hii:i  that  thinketh  he  ftandeth,  take  heed  left  he  fall." 


CHAP.    IV. 


I  A  FTER  this,  I  looked,  and  behold  a  door  was  open 
jT^  in  heaven :  and  the  hrft  voice  which  I  heard, 
was  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet  talking  with  me  ;  which  faid, 
Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  (how  thee  things  which  muft 
be  hereatcer. 

2  And  immediately  I  was  in  the  fpirit :  and  behold,  a 
throne  was  fet  in  heaven,  undone  fat  on  the  throne. 

3  And  he  that  fat  vv'as  to  look  upon  like  a  jafper,  and  a 
fardine  ftone  :  and  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the 
throne,  in  fight  like  unto  an  emerald. 

4  And  round  about  the  throne  were  four  and  twenty 
feats :  and  upon  the  feats  I  faw  four  and  twenty  elders 
fitting  cloathed  in  white  raiment  j  and  they  had  on  their 
heads  crowns  of  gold. 

5  And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings,  and 
thunderings,  and  voices :  And  th^re  were  (evQii  lamps  of 
fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which  are  the  ieven  fpirits 
of  God. 

(«)  Wheler's  Voyage,  B.  3.  P.  259,  &c. 


THE    PROPHECIES,  187 

6  And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  fea  of  glafs  like 
unto  cryftal :  And  in  the  midft  of  the  throne,  and  round 
about  the  throne  were  four  beafts  full  of  eyes  before  and 
behind. 

7  And  the  firfl  beafl:  was  like  a  lion,  and  the  fccond 
beaft  ]ike  a  calf,  and  the  third  beaft  had  the  face  of  a  man, 
and  the  fourth  beaft  was  like  a  flying  eagle. 

8  And  the  four  beafts  had  each  of  them  fix  wings  about 
him,  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within:  and  they  reft  not 
day  and  night,  faying.  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  al- 
mighty, which  was,  and  is,  apd  is  to  come. 

9  And  when  thofe  beafts  give  glory,  and  honor,  and 
thanks  to  him  that  fat  on  the  throne,  who  liveth  for  ever 
and  ever, 

10  The  four  nnd  tv/enty  elders  fall  down  before  him 
that  fat  on  the  throne,  and  worftiip  him  that  liveth  for  ever 
and  ever,  and  caft  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  faying, 

11  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory  and 
honor,  and  power  :  for  thou  haft  created  all  things,  and  for 
thy  pleafure  they  are,  and  were  created. 

After  this  vlfion  relating  to  the  things  which  are^  other  vifi- 
ons  fucceed  of  the  things  which  muji  be  hereafter^  (ver.  i.)  The 
fcene  is  laid  in  heaven;  and  the  fcenery  is  drawn  in  allufion 
to  (Num.  i.  ii.)  the  incampment  of  the  chilren  of  Ifrael  in 
the  wildernefs.  God  is  reprefented,  (ver.  2,  3.)  fitting  on  his 
throne,  as  in  the  tabernacle  or  temple,  much  in  the  fame  man- 
ner as  the  prophet  Ezekiel  (i.  26,  27,  28.)  hath  defcribed  him. 
Next  to  the  tabernacle  encamped  the  priefts  and  Levites  ;  and 
next  to  the  throne  (ver  4.)  vj  ere  four  and  twenty  elders  fittings 
anfv/ering  to  the  princes  of  the  four  and  twenty  courfes  of  the 
Jewifti  priefts ;  cloathed  in  white  rai?jient^  as  emblems  of  their 
purity  and  fan6tity ;  and  they  had  on  their  heads  crowns  of 
goldy  Chrift  having  made  them,  i  Pet.  ii.  9.  "a  royal  prieft- 
"  hood  ;  and  Rev.  v.  10.  "  kings  and  priefts  unto  God." 
Out  of  the  throne  proceeded  [vtr.  5.)  lightnings^  andthunderingSy 
and  voices^  the  ufual  concomitants  and  attendants  of  the  divine 
prefence  :  and  there  were  f even  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the 
throne^  anfwering  to  the  golden  candleftick  with  kven  lamps, 
which  was  before  the  moft  holy  -place  in  the  tabernacle.  Before 
the  throne  there  was  alfo  (ver.  6.)  a  fea  of  glafs  ^  like  unto  cryf- 
tal^  anfwering  to  the  great  molten  fea  or  laver  in  the  temple  of 


i88  DISSERTATIONS 


O  N 


Solomon :  and  in  the  ?niclj}  of  the  throne^  and  round  ahotit  the 
throne^  that  is,  before  and  behind  the  throne )  and  on  each  fide 
of  the  throne,  ivcre  four  heafis^  or  rathery'^^^r  living  creatures^ 
reprelenting  the  heads  of  the  whole  congregation  in  the  four 
quarters  of  the  world,  and  refembling  the  ^Cherubim  and  Sera- 
phim in  Ezekiel's  and  Ifaiah's  vifions,  (Ezek.  i.  lo.  x.  14.  Ifa. 
vi.  2,  3.J  or_rather  refembling  the  four  ftandards  or  enfigns  of 
the  four  divifions  in  the  camp  of  Ifrael,  according  to  the  [a) 
traditionary  defcription  of  them  by  Jewifh  writers.  TZ>^  jirjl 
living  creature  ivas  like  a  lion^  (ver.  7.)  which  was  the  ftandard 
of  Judah  with  the  two  other  tribes  in  the  eaftern  divifion  :  and 
thefecond  like  a  calf  ox  oxy  which  was  the  ftandard  of  Ephriam 
with  the  two  other  tribes  in  the  weftern  divifion  ;  a}id  the  third 
had  a  face  as  a  man,  which  was  the  ftandard  of  Reuben  with 
the  two  other  tribes  in  the  fouthern  divifion ;  and  the  fourth 
was  like  a  flying  eagle^  v/hich  was  the  ftandard  of  Dan  with  the 
two  other  tribes  In  the  northern  divifion  :  and  this  extraordinary 
defcription  agrees  alfo  with  the  four  faces  of  the  Cherub  in 
Ezekiel's  vifions.  Of  thefe  living  creatures  and  of  the  elders 
the  conftant  employment  (ver.  8 — 11.)  is  to  celebrate,  in 
hymns  of  praife  and  thankfgiving,  the  great  and  wonderful 
works  of  creation  and  providence. 


CHAP.    V. 


I    A    N  D  I  faw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  fat  on 
jC^  the  throne,  a  book  written   within   and  on  the 
backlide,  fealed  with  feven  feals. 

2  And  I  faw  a  ftrong  angel,  proclaiming  with  a  loud 
voice.  Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loofe  the 
feals  thereof  ? 

3  And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in  earth,  neither  under 
the  earth,  was  able  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look 
thereon. 

4  And  I  wept  much  becaufe  no  man  was  found  worthy 
to  open,  and  to  read  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon. 

5  And  one    of  the  elders   faith   unto   me.  Weep  not : 


{a)  Majores  noftri  dixerunt,  &c.    See  Aben  Ezra  and  others, 
quoted  by  Mr.  Mede,  P.  437. 


thePROPHECIES.  189 

behold,  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  the  root  of  David, 
hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loofc  the  kveii 
feals  thereof. 

6  And  1  beheld,  and  lo,  in  the  midfl:  of  the  throne,  and 
of  the  four  beaits,  and  in  the  niidft  of  the  elders  ftood  a 
Lamb,  as  it  had  been  flain,  having  feven  horns,  and  fevea 
eyes,  which  are  the  feven  fpirits  of  God  fent  forth  into  all 
the  earth. 

7  And  he  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  the  right 
hand  of  him  that  fat  upon   the  throne. 

8  And  u^hen  he  had  taken  the  book,  the  four  beads, 
and  four  and  twenty  elders  fell,  down  before  the  Lamb, 
having  every  one  of  them  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of 
odours,  which  are  prayers  of  faints. 

9  And  they  fung  a  new  fong,  faying,  Thou  art  worthy 
to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  feals  thereof:  for  thou 
wall  flain,  and  haft  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out 
of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation  : 

10  And  haft  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priefts  T 
and  we  (hall  reign  on  the  earth. 

11  And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  .angels 
round  about  the  throne,  and  the  beafts  and  the  elders  :  and 
the  number  of  them  was  ten  thoufand  times  ten  thoufand, 
and  thoufands  of  thoufands ; 

12  Saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  flain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  vi'ifdom, 
and  ftrength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  bleiHng. 

13  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  fuch  as  are  in  the  fea,  and 
all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I,  faying,  Bleffing,  and  honor, 
and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  fitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever. 

14  And  the  four  beafts  faid,  Amen.  And  the  four 
and  twenty  elders  fell  down  and  worfliipped  him  that  liv- 
eth  for  ever  and  ever. 

Future  events  are  fuppofed  by  St.  John,  as  well  as  by 
Daniel  and  other  prophets,  in  a  beautiful  figure,  to  be  regif"- 
tcred  in  a  book^  for  the  greater  certainty  of  them.  This  book, 
(ver.  I.)  is  in  the  right  hand  of  Go d^  to  denote  that  as  he  alone 
directs  the  affairs  of  futurity,  fo  he  alone  is  able  to  reveal  them, 


igo        DISSERTATIONS     on 

This  book,  through  the  abundance  of  the  matter,  was  {a)  writ- 
ten  within  and  on  the  backjide  ;  as  the  roll  of  the  book,  which 
was  fprcad  before  Ezekiel,  ii.  lO.  was  written  within  andvjith- 
out.  It  was  alfo  fealed^  to  fignify  that  the  decrees  of  God 
are  infcrutablc,  and  fealed  with  fcven  fealsy  referring  to  (o  manv 
fignal  periods  of  prophecy.  In  fhort  we  fhould  conceive 
of  this  book,  that  it  was  fuch  an  one  as  the  ancients  ufcd,  a 
volume  or  roll  of  a  book,  or  more  properly  a  volume  confid- 
ing of  feven  volumes,  fo  that  the  opening  of  one  feai  laid  open 
the  contents  only  of  one  volume.  All  creatures  are  challeng- 
ed (ver.  2.)  to  open  the  bo-ok^  and  to  loofe  the  feals  thereof.  But 
(ver.  3.)  no  one  in  heaven^  nor  in  earthy  neither  mider  the  earthy 
neither  angels,  nor  men,  nor  departed  fpirits,  were  any  of 
them  qualified  to  comprehend  and  communicate  the  fecret  pur- 
poles  of  God.  St.  John  wept  ?nuch  (ver.  4.)  at  the  faid  dif- 
appointment:  but  who  now  is  concerned  or  grieved,  that  he 
cannot  underftand  thefe  prophecies  ^.  However  he  is  comfort- 
ed (ver.  5-)  with  an  afTurance,  that  {till  there  was  one  who 
had  power  and  authority  to  reveal  and  accomplifh  the  counfels 
of  God.  The  Son  of  God,  and  he  alone,  was  found  worthy 
to  be  the  great  revealer  and  interpreter  of  his  Father's  oracles; 
(ver.  6j  cic.)  and  he  obtained  this  privilee;e  by  the  merits  of  his 
fufFerings  and  death.  Whereupon  the  v.'hole  church,  (ver.  8, 
&:c.)  and  all  the  angels,  (ver.  ir,  &c.)  and  all  creatures  (ver. 
13,  &c.)  fmg  praifes  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb  for  fuch  glori- 
ous manifeftations  of  divine  providence.  All  this  is  by  way 
of  preface  or  introd'.:6lion,  to  fhovv  the  great  dignity,  impor- 
tance, and  excellence  of  the  prophecies  here  delivered. 


CHAP.     VI. 

I     A    N  D    I  faw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the 
jfj^  feals,  and  I  heard  as  it  were  the  nolfe  of  thunder, 

o*ie  of  the  four  beafts  faying.  Come,  and  fee. 

2  And  I  faw,  and  behold,  a  white  horfe  ;  and   he  that 

fat  on  him  had  a  bow,  and  a  crown  was  given  unto  him, 

and  he  went  forth  conquering,  and  to  conquer. 

(^)  So  in  Juvenal  Sat.  J.  5. 

fumrai  plena  jam  marginelibri, 

Scriptus  et  intergo,  v.ecdu.Ti  fir!Uu<;  Orprve?. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


19] 


As  the  feals  are  opened  in  order,  fo  the  events  follow  in 
order  too.  The  firft  leal  or  period  (ver.  i,  2.)  is  memorable 
for  conqueft,  and  was  proclaimed  by  the  firit  of  the  four  living 
creatures,  who  was  Tike,  a  lion,  and  had  his  ftation  in  the  eaih 
Jnd  I  faw^  and  behold^  a  white  horfe  ;  and  he  that  fat  on  him 
had  a  hozVy  and  a  croivn  ivas  given  unto  him^  and  he  luent  forth 
conquering^  and  to  conquer  This  iirit  period  commenceth  with 
Vcipafian  and  Titus,  who  from  commanding  (^)  in  the  eait 
were  advanced  to  the  empire;  and  Vefpafmn  for  this  reafon 
was  regarded,  (/>)  both  by  Romans  and  foreigners,  as  that  great 
prince  who  was  to  come  out  of  the  eaft,  and  obtain  dominion 
over  the  world.  They  ivent  fourth  to  conquer ;  for  they  made 
an  entire  conqueft  of  Judea,  delfroying  Jerufalem,  and  carried 
the  Jews  captive  into  all  nations.  As  thefe  prophecies  v/ere 
written  a  few  years  before  the  defl:ru6lion  of  Jerufalem,  they 
properly  begin  with  fome  allufion  to  that  memorable  event; 
and  a  (hort  allufion  was  fufficient,  our  Saviour  hi mfelf  having 
inlargedfo  much  upon  all  the  particulars.  The  bow^  the  white 
horfe^  and  the  crown  are  proper  emblems  of  victory,  triumph, 
and  royalty ;  and  the  proclamation  for  conqueft  is  fitly  made 
by  a  creature  Jike  a  lion.  This  period  continued  during  the 
reigns  of  the  Flavian  family  and  the  ihort  reign  of  Nerva,  about 
twenty-eight  years. 

They  v/ho  fuppofe  this  book  to  have  been  written  in  Do- 
mltian's  time,  fome  years  after  the  deftruilion  of  Jerufalem, 
are  obliged  to  give  another  explanation  of  this  firft  feal,  appli- 
cable to  fome  fubfequent  event,  that  it  might  not  be  deemed  a 
hiftory  of  things  part  inftead  of  a  prophecy  of  things  to  come. 
Now  their  nocion  is,  that  this  firft  feal  exhibits  a  reprefenta- 
tion  of  the  perfon  and  dignity  of  Chrlft,  and  of  the  triumphs 
of  the  Chriftian  religion  over  all  the  powers  of  Paganifm.  At 
the  fame  they  allow  (as  it  is  generally  allowed)  that  the  fix  firft 
feals  efpecially  relate  to  Heathen  Rome,  and  comprehend  fo 
many  notable  periods  in  the  Roman  hiftory.  But  where  then 
is  the  propriety  or  confiftence,  of  underftanaing  this  firft  feal 
of  Chrift  and  the  Chriftian  religion,  and  the  fucceeding  feals 
of  fucceftive  revolutions  in  the  Roman  em.pire,  during  its  pa- 
gan and  unconverted  ftate  ?  And   what  good  reafon  can   be 

{ci)  Hujus  (Vitelli)  tempore  Vefpafianus  in  oriente  priucipatum 
arripuit.     Aurcl.  Vidor,  Epit.  Cap.  8. 

{h)  Tacit.  Hiil.  Lib.  5.  P.  ziy.Edit.  Lipfii.Seuton.  in  Vefp.Cap, 
4.  Jofeph  de  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  5. Sea.4.  P.  1283.  Edit.Hudfon. 


192         D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S     o  N 

given  for  reprefenting  the  Church  In  triumph  and  glory,  at  a 
period  when  it  was  moft  grievoufly  perfecuted  and  affiicted  ? 
Would  it  not  have  been  more  uniform  and  of  a  piece,  and  have 
agreed  better  w^ith  the  fcries  and  order  of  true  hiilory,  if  they 
had  applied  this  firft  feal  to  the  conquefts  of  Vefpafian  and  Ti- 
ttis,  and  the  deftruccion  of  Jerufalem  ;  as  they  have  applied 
the  fecond  feal  to  the  wars  of  Trajan  and  Adrian  with  the  Jews, 
and  the  third  and  following  feals  to  tranfaclions  of  other  Ro- 
man emperors  ?  The  four  living  creatures  have  their  ftations, 
as  we  have  {hown,  in  the  four  quarters,  eaft,  weft.  Youth  and 
north,  to  denote  from  what  part  we  are  to  look  for  the  com- 
pletion of  the  prophecy :  and  as  Trajan  proceeded  from  the 
zuejly  Septimius  Severus  from  the  fouth^  and  Maximin  from 
the  north-,  what  other  emperor  before  them,  befides  Vefpafian, 
came  from  the  eajl^  which  v/as  the  ftation  of  the  lion,  who 
made  the  firft  proclamation  ?  It  fhould  feem  therefore  that  the 
interpretation  which  was  firft  propofed  is  the  more  eligible, 
and  indeed  I  cannot  fee  how  this  firft"  feal  can  be  well  explicat- 
ed otherwife,  confiftently  vi^ith  the  truth  of  hiftory  and  other 
circumftances  of  the  prophecy  ;  and  if  this  be  the  true  inter- 
pretation, this  is  a  farther  argument  that  the  book  was  more 
probably  written  in  the  perfecutions  under  Nero  than  in  thofe 
under  Domitian. 

3  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fecond  feal,  I  heard 
the  fecond  beaft  fay,  Come  and  fee. 

4  And  there  went  out  another  horfe  that  was  red  :  and 
power  was  given  to  him  that  fat  thereon,  to  take  peace 
from  the  earth,  and  that  they  fhould  kill  one  another : 
and  there  was  given  unto  him  a  great  fword. 

The  fecond  feal  or  period  (ver.  3,  4.)  is  noted  for  war  and 
fiaughter,  and  was  proclaimed  by  the  fecond  living  creature, 
who  v/as  like  an  ox,  and  had  his  ftation  in  the  weft.  Jnd 
there  went  out  another  horfe  that  was  red :  and poiver  was  given 
io  him  that  fat  thereon,^  to  take  peace  from  the  earthy  and  that 
they  fjould  kill  one  another ;  and  there  was  given  unto  him  a 
great  fword.  This  fjcond  period  commenceth  with  Trajan, 
who  came  from  the  Vv^cft,  being  a  {a)  Spaniard  by  birth,  and 
was  the  firft  foreigner  who  was  elevated  to  the  imperial  throne. 
In  his  reign  and  that  of  his  fucceflbr  Adrian,  there  were  horrid 

{a)  Trajanus  homo  Hifpanus,  nee  Ttalus  erat  nee  Italicus — ante 
euin  nemo  altcrius  nationis  imperinni  Romanuni  obtinuerat,  Dion. 
Hiir.  Lib.  68.  P.  771.  Edit.  Leunclav. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  193 

wars  and  flaughters,  and  efpecially  between  the  rebellious  Jews 
and  the  Romans.  Dion  relates  {a)  that  the  Jews  about  Gy- 
rene flew  of  the  Romans  and  Greeks  two  hundred  and  twenty 
thouiand  men  with  the  moft  fhxKking  circumftances  of  barba- 
riry.  In  Egypt  alfo  and  in  Cyprus  they  committed  the  like 
barbarities,  and  there  periflied  two  hundred  and  forty  thoufand 
men  more.  But  the  Jews  were  fubdued  in  their  turn  by  the 
other  generals,  and  Lucius  fentagainft  them  by  Trajan.  Eu- 
febius  writing  of  the  fame  time  faith,  (b)  that  the  Jews  inflam- 
ed as  it  were  by  fome  violent  and  feditious  fpirit,  in  the  firfl 
confliiSt  gained  a  viftory  over  the  Gentiles,  who  flying  to  Al- 
exandria took  and  killed  the  Jews  in  the  city.  The  emperor 
fent  Marcius  Turbo  againft  them,  with  great  forces  by  fea 
and  land ;  who  in  many  battles  flew  many  myriads  of  the  Jews. 
The  emperor  alfo  fufpeding  that  they  might  make  the  like 
commotions  in  Mefopotamia  ordered  Lucius  Quietus  to  expel 
them  out  of  the  province,  who  marching  againil  them  flew  a 
very  great  multitude  of  them  there.  Orofms  treating  of  the 
fame  time  faith,  {c)  that  the  Jews  with  an  incredible  commo- 
VoL.  II.  B  b 

{a)  Interim  Juda^i,  qui  circum  Cyrenen  habitabant— Romanos 
pariter  atque  Gr^^cos  concidunt— ita  ut  interier  int  hominum  ad 
ducenta  viginti  millia.  Prjeteres  in  yEgypto  Cyproque— confimilia 
quEdam  perpetrarunt,  ubi  defiderata  funt  hominum  ducenta  qaad- 
raginta  millia.— Sed  Judsi  et  ab  aliis  et  maxime  a  Lucio,  quern 
Trajanus  miferat,  fubafti  funt.     Dion  ibid.  P.  786. 

(^)  — Veluta  violento  quodam  et  feditiofo  dccmone  exagitati— r 
et  prime  quidem  confliflu  forte  Judaci  Gentilis  fuperaverant.  Qui 
mox  Alexandriam  confugientes,  Judaios  qui  in  ea  urbe  degebant, 
captos  interfecerunt. — Itaque  imperator  Marcium  Turbonem  ad- 
verfus  COS  mifit  cum  pedeflrihus  ac  navalibus  copiis,  et  cumequitatu. 
Hie  multis  praelis  confertis — infinita  Judseorum  millia — nici  dedit. 
Sed  imperator  veritus  ne  Judaei  qui  Mefopotamiam  habitabant,  in- 
colas  perinde  aggrederentur,  mandavit  Lucio  Quieto,  ut  eos  extra 
provincis  fines  deportaret.  Quiinftru<5laadverfusiliosacie,ingentem 
eorum  multitudinem  proftravit.  Eufeb.  Ecclef.  Hift.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  z. 

(c)  Incredibiii  deinde  motu,  fub  uno  tempore  Jud^i,  quafi  rabie 
eflerati,  per  diverfas  terrarum  partes  exarferunt.  Nam  et  perito- 
tam  Lybiam  adverfus  incolas  atrociflima  bella  gefiertint :  qua;  adeo 
tunc  interfedis  cultoribus  defolata  elt — ^gyptum  vero  totam  et 
Cyrenem  et  Thebaida  cruentis  feditionibus  turbaverunt.  In  Alex- 
andria autem  commiffio  pra^lioxidli  et  adtritifunt.  In  Mefopotamia 
quoque  rebellantibus  juiTu  imperatoris  bellum  illatum  ell.  Itaque 
multa  millia  eorum  vafta  ca^de  deleta  fiint.  Sane  Salaminam  urbem 
Cypri,  interfedis  omnibus  accolis  deleverunt.  Orof.  Hill,  Lib.  7^ 
Cap,  12.  P.  487.  Edit.  Havercamp» 


194         DISSERTATIONS    on 

tion,  made  wild  as  it  were  with  rage,  rofe  at  once  in  different 
parts  of  the  earth.  For  throughout  all  Lybia  they  waged  the 
iicrceft  wars  againd  the  inhabitants,  and  the  country  was  al- 
moft  defolatcd.  Egypt  alfo  and  Cyrene  and  Thebais  they  dif- 
turbed  with  cruel  feditions.  But  in  Alexandria  they  were  over- 
ceme  in  battle.  In  Mefopotamia  alio  war  was  made  upon  the 
rebellious  Jews  by  the  coinmand  of  the  emperor.  So  that 
many  thoufands  of  them  were  deftroycd  with  vaft  flaughter. 
They  utterly  deftroyed  Salamis,  a  city  of  Cyprus,  having  iirft 
murdered  all  the  inhabitants.  Thefe  things  were  tranfadled  in 
the  reign  of  Trajan  :  and  in  the  reign  of  Adrian  (a)  was  their 
great  rebellion  under  their  falfe  Meifiah  Barchochab,  and  their 
final  difperfion,  after  fifty  of  their  ftrongclt  caflles,  and  nine 
hundred  and  eighty-five  cf  their  beft  towns  had  been  demo- 
lilhed,  and  after  five  hundred  and  eighty  thoufand  men  had 
been  llain  by  the  fword,  befides  an  infinite  number  who  had 
periflied  by  famine  and  ficknefs  and  other  cafualties,  with  great 
lofs  and  flaughter  too  of  the  Romans,  infomuch  that  the  em- 
peror forbore  the  ufual  falutations  in  his  letters  to  the  fenate. 
Here  was  another  illuftrious  triumph  of  Chrifi:  over  his  ene- 
mies ;  and  the  Jews  and  the  Romans,  both  the  perfecutors  of 
the  ChriftianSj  were  remarkably  made  the  dreadful  execution- 
ers of  divine  vengeance  upon  one  another.  The  great  fzvord 
and  the  red  horfe  are  expreffive  emblems  of  this  flaughtering 
and  bloody  period ;  and  the  proclamation  for  flaughter  is  fitly 
made  by  a  creature  like  an  ox  that  is  deirmed  for  flaughter. 
This  period  continued  during  the  reigns  of  Trajan  and  his  fuc- 
ceflbrs  by  blood  or  adoption  about  ninety-five  years. 

5  And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  feal,  I  heard  the 
third  beafl:  fay.  Come  and   fee.     And  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a    " 
black  horfe ;  and  he  that  fat  on  him  had  a  pair  of  balan- 
ces in  his  hand. 

6  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midft  of  the  four  beafls 
fay,  A  meafure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  meafures 
of  barley  for  a  penny  ;  and  fee  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and 
the  wine. 

The  third  feal  or  period  (ver.  5,  6.)  is  charaOcri fed  by  the 
{tridt  execution  of  jufticc  and  judgment,  and  by  the  procura- 

{a)  Eufeb.  ibid.  Cap.  6.  Dion.  ibid.  Lib.  69.  ^.'794. 


T  Fi  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  195 

tion  of  corn,  and  oil,  and  wine  ;    and  was  proclaimed  by  the 
third   living   creature,  who    was  like  a  man,  had  his   fcatioa 
in  the  fouth.     And  I  beheld^  and  lo^  a  black  horfe-,  arid  he  that 
fat  on  him  had  a  pair  of  balances  in  his  hand.     And  I  heard  a 
voice  in  the  midjt  of  the  four  living  creatures  fay ^  A  mcafure  of 
ivheat  for  a  penny.y  and  three  meafures  of  barley  for  a  -penny  ; 
and  fee  thou   hurt  not  the  oil  and  wine.     Where  Grotius  and 
others  have   (/? )  obferved,  that  a  chcenix  of  corn,  the   meafure 
here  mentioned,   was  a  man's  daily   allowance,  as  a  penny  was 
his  daily  wages;  fo  that   if  his  daily  labor  could  earn  no  more 
than  his  daily  bread,  without  other  provifion  for  himfelf  or  his 
family,  corn  mull  needs    bear  a  very  high    price.     But  what- 
ever may  be  the  capacity  of  the  chiisnix^  which  is  difficult  to  be 
determined,  as  it  was  different  indifferent  times  and  countries; 
yet   fuch  care  and  fuch  regulations  about  the  neceffaries  of  life 
imply  fomc  want  and  fcarcity  of  them.      Scarcity  obligeth  men 
to  exadlnefs  in  the  price  and  meafure  of  things.     In  fhort,  the 
intent  of  the  prophecy  is,  that  corn  fhould  be  provided  for  the 
people,  but  it  (hould  be   diftributed  in  exacSt  meafure  and  pro- 
portion.    This  third  period  commenceth  with  Septimius  Se- 
verus,  who  was  an  emperor  from  the  fouth,  being  \b)  a  native 
of  Africa.      He  was  an  [c)  enadlor  of  juft  and  equal  lav/s,  and 
was  very  fevere  and  implacable  to  offences  ;  he  would  not  fuf- 
fer  even  petty  larcenies  to  go   unpunifhed :  as  neither  would 
Alexander  Serverus  in  the  fame  period,  who  [d)  was  a  moft  fe- 
vere judge  againft  thieves:  and   was  fo  fond  of  the  Chriilian 
maxim,  Whatfoever  you  would  not  have  done  to  yoUy  do  not  you 

(^a)  Eft  autem  tritict  tantum,  quanto  homo  fanus  in  diem  indigei,  ut 

ixeHerodotilibro  tertio  et  feptimo  obfervarunt  eurditi,alii  etiaiTi  ex: 

Hp  pocrate,  Diogene  Laertio  et  AthenaDO.    Denarius  vero  tantum, 

quantum  qaoque  die  mereripoterat  homoftrenuelahorans,  utvidere 

.  eft  Matt.  XX.  2,  &c.  Grot,  in  locum.  Vide  etiam  Vitring.  P.  ^59. 

[h)  Septimius  Serverus- — oriundus  ex  Africa.— -Solus  on?ni  me- 
moria  et  ante  et  poitea  ex  Africa  imperator  fait.  Europiua  hj^» 
8.  Cap.  10.  Interfsfto  Didio  Juliano,  Serverus  Africa  oriundus  im- 
perium  obtinuit.  ^^lius  Spartianus  in  Severo.  Hift.  Auguft.  Scrip- 
tores  vi.  ?   64.  Edit.  Salmafii. 

(f)  Legum  conditor  ionge  sequabilium — implacabilis  delicflis— 
ne  parva  latrocinia  quidem  impunita  patiebatur.  Aurel  Vidlor  ^e 
Csefar.  Cap.  20. 

{d)  Severiffiinus  judex  contra  fures — Quod  tibi  fieri  non  vis, 
alteri  ne  feceris  ;  quam  fententiam  ufque  ^deo  dilexit  ut  et  in  pa- 
latio  et  in  publicis  operibus  prasfcribi  jaberet.  Lampridius  in  Alex- 
andro.  Hill.  Auguil.  Script,  vi.  P.  123  et  1 32.  Edit.  Saimafii. 


196        DISSERTATIONS    on 

to  another^  that  he  commanded  It  to  be  ingraven  on  the  palace, 
and  on  the  public  buildings.  Thefe  two  emperors  were  alfo 
no  lefs  celebrated  tor  the  procuring  of  corn  and  oil  and  other 
proviilons,  and  for  fupplying  the  Pvomans  with  them  after 
they  had  experienced  the  want  of  them.  They  repaired  the 
neglects  of  former  times,  and  corrciSled  the  abufes  of  former 
princes.  Of  Septimius  Severus  it  is  laid,  that  [a]  the  provifion 
of  corn,  which  he  found  very  fmall,  he  fo  far  confulted,  that 
at  his  death  he  left  a  certain  rate  or  allowance  to  the  Roman 
people  for  feven  years  :  and  alfo  of  oil  as  much  as  for  the  fpace  of 
five  years  might  fupply  not  only  the  ufes  of  the  city,  but  like- 
wife  of  all  Italy  which  might  want  oil.  Of  Alexander  Seve- 
rus it  It  alfo  faid,  that  [b)  he  took  fuch  care  in  providing  for 
the  Roman  people,  that  the  corn  which  Heliogabalus  had  waft- 
ed, he  replaced  out  of  his  own  money  ;  the  oil  alfo,  which 
Septimius  Severus  had  given  to  the  people,  and  which  Helioga- 
balus had  leiTened,  he  reftored  whole  as  before.  The  colour  of 
the  black  horfe  befits  the  feverity  of  their  nature  and  their  name, 
and  the  balances  are  the  well  known  emblems  of  juftice,  as  well 
as  an  intimation  of  fcarcity ;  and  the  proclamation  for  juftice 
and  judgment,  and  for  the  procuration  of  corn  and  oil  and 
wine,  is  fitly  made  by  a  creature  like  a  man.  This  period  con- 
tinued during  the  reigns  of  the  Septimian  family  about  forty- 
two  years. 

7  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  feal,  I  heard 
the  voice  of  the  fourth  beaft  fay.  Come,  and  fee. 

8  And  1  looked,  and  behold,  a  pale  horfe  ;  and  his 
name  that  fat  on  him  was  Death,  and  Hell  followed  with 
him :  and  power  was  given  unto  them,  over  the  fourth 
part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  fword,  and  with  hunger, 
and  with  death,  and  with  the  beafts  of  the  earth. 

The  fourth  feal  or  period  (ver.  7,  8.)  is  diftinguiftied  by  a 
concurrence  of  evils,  war,  and  famine,  and  peftilence,  and  wild 

(fl)  Rei  frumentiirias,  quam  minimam  repererat,  ita  confuluit, 
ut  excedens  vita,  feptem  annorum  canonemP.  R.  iclinqueret.  Spar- 
tian.  ibid.  P.  97.  olei  vero  tantum  ut  per  quinquennium  noa  folum 
urbis  ufibus,  fed  et  totius  Italia;  qus  oleo  egeret,  fufticeret.  Spar- 
tian  in  Severo.  ibid.  P.  73. 

[b)  Commeatum  populi  Roinani  fie  adjavir,  ut  quam  frumenta 
Heliogabalus  cvertiflet,  vicem  dc  propria  pecunia  loco  fuo  repo- 
■neret — Oleum  quod  Severus  populo  dederat,  quodque  Heliogaba- 
lus imminuerat,  integrum  rellituit.  Lam.prid.  in  Alex.  ibid.  P.  121. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  197 

beads  ;  and  was  proclaimed  by  the  fourth  living  creature,  who 
was  like  an  eagle,  and  had  his  ftation  in  the  north.  And  I 
looked^  and  behold  a  pale  horfe  ;  and  his  natne  that  fat  on  him 
was  Deaths  and  Hell  folhivcd  with  him:  and  power  iv  as  given 
unto  themy  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earthy  to  kill  with  fwordy 
and  with  hunger^  and  with  death^  and  ivith  the  beajis  of  the 
earth,  Thefe  are  the  fame  four  fore  judgtnents^  with  which 
Ezekiel  xiv.  21.  threatened  Jeruialem,  the  fword,  and  the 
famine-^  and  the  noifome  beaji^  and  the  pejlilence\  for  in  the 
oriental  languages  the  peftilence  is  emphatically  ftiled  death. 
Thefe  four  were  to  deftroy  the  fourth  part  of  mankind  ;  and 
the  image  is  very  poetical,  of  death  riding  on  a  pale  horfe^ 
and  hell  or  the  grave  following  with  hifn^  ready  to  fwallow  up 
the  dead  corpfes.  This  period  commenceth  with  Maximin, 
who  was  an  emperor  from  the  north,  being  {a)  born  of  bar- 
barous parents  in  a  village  of  Thrace.  He  was  indeed  a  bar- 
barian in  all  refpedls.  There  was  not,  as  an  {b)  hiftorian  af- 
firms, a  more  cruel  animal  upon  the  earth ;  he  was  fo  cruel, 
that  he  was  defervedly  called  by  the  name  of  Cyclops,  Bufiris, 
Phalaris,  and  the  worft  of  tyrants.  The  hiftory  of  his  and  fe- 
veral  fucceeding  reigns  is  full  of  wars  and  murders,  mutinies 
of  foldiers,  and  invafions  of  foreign  armies,  rebellions  of  fub- 
je6l3  and  deaths  of  princes.  There  were  more  than  twenty 
emperors  in  the  fpace  of  fifty  years,  and  all  or  moft  of  theni 
died  in  war,  or  were  murdered  by  their  own  foldiers  and  fub- 
je6ls.  Befides  lawful  emperors,  there  were  in  the  reign  of 
Gallienus  {c)  thirty  tyrants  or  ufurpers,  who  fet  up  in  different 
parts  of  the  empire,  and  came  all  to  violent  and  miferable  ends. 
Here  was  fufficient  employment  for  thefword;  and  fuch  wars 
and  devaftations  muft  neceflarily  produce  a  famine^  and  the 
famine  is  another  diftinguifhing  calamity  of  this  period.  In 
the  reign  of  Gall  us  the  Scythians  made  fuch  incurfions,  that 

i^a)  Hie  de  vice  Tracire,  vicino  barbaris,  barbaro  etiam  patre  et 
matre  genitus.  Julius  Capitolin.  in  Maximin.  Hill.  Auguft.  Script, 
vi.  Edit.  Salmaf.  P.  138.  Vide  etiam  notas  Salmaf.  et  Cafauboni. — 
Max.  qui  quod  ad  genus  attinet,  ex  intimis  Thracibus,  et  femibar- 
bariserat.  Herodian.  Lib.  6.  P.  143.  Edit.  Staph.  1581. 

(^)  Nequeenim  fuit.  crudelius  animal  interris— tarn  crudelis  fuit, 
utiilum  alii  Cyclopem,  alii  Bufiridem^  alii  Scironem.,  nonulii  Phala- 
rim,muliTyplionem,  vel  Gygem  vocarent.  Jul.Capit.  ibid,  P.  141. 

(f)  VideTrebell.  Pollio.'de  triginta  tyrannis.  Hilt  Aug.  Script. 
vi.  P.  184,  &c.  Edit.  Salmafii. 


198       DISSERTATIONS    on 

(a)  not  one  nation  fubje6l  to  the  Romans  was  left  unwafled  by 
them,  and  every  unwalled  town,  and  moft  of  the  walled  cities 
were  taken  by  them.  In  the  reign  of  P  rob  us  alfo  [b)  there 
was  a  great  famine  throughout  the  world ;  and  for  want  of 
victuals  the  army  mutinied,  and  flew  him.  An  ufual  confequence 
of  famine  is  the  pejlilence^  and  the  peftilence  is  the  third  diftin- 
guifhinr::  calamity  of  this  period.  This  peftilence,  according 
ro  {c)  Zonaras,  arifmg  from  Ethiopia,  while  Gallus  ancj  Vo- 
lufian  were  emperors,  pervaded  all  the  Roman  provinces,  and 
for  fifteen  years  together  incredibly  exhauOed  them  ;  and  fo 
learned  a  man  as  Lipfius  declares,  that  he  never  read  of  any 
greater  plague,  for  the  fpace  of  time  that  it  lalfed,  or  of  land 
that  it  overfp read.  Zofimus,  fpeaking  of  the  devaftations  of 
the  Scythians  in  the  reign  of  Gallus  ocfore  mentioned,  farther 
addeth,  that  {d)  the  peftilence  not  lefs  pernicious  than  the  war, 
deftroyed  whatever  was  left  of  human  kind,  and  made  fuch 
havoc  as  it  had  never  done  in  former  times.  He  faith  alfo, 
that  in  the  reign  of  Gallienus,  [e)  fuch  a  grievous  peftilence 
as  never  happened  in  any  time  before,  rendered  the  calamities 
inflicSled  by  the  barbarians  more  m-oderate.  He  faith  after- 
wards too  in  the  reign  of  Claudius,  that  (f)  the  peftilence  feif- 
ing  on  the  Romans  as  well  as  the  barbarians,  many  of  the  army 

{a)  — adeo  quidem,  ut  nulla  gens  Roman.T  ditionis  ab  eis  non 
vaftata  manferit,  fed  omnia,  prope  dixerim,  oppida  delUtuta  m?E- 
nibus,  at  iifdem  munitorum  magna  pars,  capta  fuerint.  Zofim.  in 
Gall.  Lib.  I.  Sea.  26. 

{I)  Fames  ingens  per  totum  orbem  graffata  eft  :  anncna  autsm 
deliciente,  feditione  in  exercltu  excitata,  a  militibus  interfeclus 
eft.  Joan.  Malaia?.  Chronograph.  P.  400.  Edit.  Oxon.  i6gi. 

{c)  Zonaras  author  eft,  nee  eccteri  tacuere,  fub  Gallo  et  Volufiano 
imperatoribus,  peftem  ab  Ethiopia  exortam  oinnes  Romanas  pro- 
vincias  pervafiffe,  etper  quiadecim  contmuos  annos  incredibiliter 
exhaufifie.  Nee  alia  unquani  major  lu.cs  mini  le^la  (inqult  vir  nof- 
tro  nDvo  Celebris)  ipatio  tempo-rum,  five  terrarum.  Mede,  P.  446, 
Zonar.  in  Gal.  e:  Voluf.  I-ipfms  de  Conftantia,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  23. 

{d)  Nee  minus  hello,  quod  undique  fcaturiendo  velut  emerierat, 
lues  etiam  peftiiens  in  oppidis  atque  vicis  fubfecuta,  quicquid  erat 
humani  generis  rtiliqum,  ablumpfit :  qua;  fane  nunquam  fuperiori- 
bus  fasculis  tantam.  homiaum  ilragum  ediderat.  Zoum.  ib. 

{e)  Tanta  peftLs  in  civitatibus  exorta,  quanta  nunquam  prius 
tiUo  tempore  exftiterat,  calamitates  a  barbaris  illatas  leviores  red- 
didit. Zofim.  ibid.  Se-fl.  37. 

(/)  Sed  quod  in  Romanos  quoque  peftis  fa^vlre  crepiftet,  cinn 
alii  complures  in  excrcitu  mortui  funt,  turn  etiam  Claudius  vivendi 
fin^iji  fecit.    Zofi^a.  ibid.  Sed.  46. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  £  S.  199 

died,  and  alfo  Claudius  the  emperor.  DIohylius  in  {a)  Eufe- 
bius  treating  of  ihe  lame  time,  mentions  the  war  and  tht  famine 
and  the  pejilbnce^  as  fucceeding  one  another  in  their  natural 
order.  St.  Cyprian  too  mentions  [b)  all  the  three  together, 
as  troubling  the  world  more  at  that  time  than  at  any  other. 
He  wrote  alfo  a  (c )  treatife  upon  this  very  peftilence,  which 
he  intitled  De  mortalitate^  as  if  he  ha3  taken  the  name  from 
the  prophecy  which  had  predicted  it. 

In  ihort,  without  alledging  more  tefti monies,  Eutropiiis 
affirms  o-  Gailus  and  Voluiian,  that  {d)  their  reign  was  re- 
markable only  for  the  peftilence  and  difeafes  and  ficknefs. 
Orofius  (^)  afferts  much  the  fame  thing  :  and  Trebellius  Pollio 
likewife  (/)  informs  us,  that  in  the  reign  of  Gallienus,  the 
peftilence  was  fo  great  that  five  thoufand  men  died  in  one  day. 
When  the  countries  lie  thus  uncultivated,  uninhabited,  unfre- 
quented, the  luild  beajls  multiply,  and  come  into  the  towns  to 
devour  men  ;  which  is  the  fourth  diflinguifhing  calamity  of* 
this  period.  This  would  appear  a  probable  confequence  of  the 
former  calamities,  if  hiftory  had  recorded  nothing  of  it;  but 
v/e  read  in  hiftory,  that  [g)  five  hundred  wolves  together  entered 
into  a  city,  which  was  deferted  by  its  inhabitants,  and  where 
the  young  Maximin  chanced  to  be.  It  is  well  known,  that  the 
Heathens  malicioufly  afcribed  all  dublic  calamities  to  the  Chrif- 
tians,  and  among  them  we  find  objected  {h)  the  wars  which 

{a)  Eufeb.  Ecclef.  Hill.  Lib.  7.  Cap.  22. 

[b)  Sed  eriim  cum  dicas,  plurimos  conqueri  quod  bella  crebrias 
furgant,  quod  lues,  quod  fames  faeviant,  &c.  Ad  Demetrianum,  P. 
129.  Edit,  Felli.  Quod  autem  crebrius  belia  continuant,  quod  fi:e- 
rilitas  et  fames  foiicitudinem  cumulant,  quod  favientibus  morbis 
valetudo  frangitur,  auod  humanum  genus  luis  populatione  vafiatur, 
&c.    Ibid.  P.  i:;o.   ' 

(f)  Vide  Edit.  Felli.  P.  no. 

{d)  Scla  pefHlenria,  et  morbis,  atque  aegritudinibus  notus  eorum 
principatus  fuit.     Eutrop.  Lib.  9.  Cap.  5. 

{e)  Hac  fola  pernicie  infignes  Gailus  et  Volufianus.  Orof.  Hilt. 
Lib.  Cap.  21. 

(/)  Peltilentia  tanta  exftiterat,  ut  uno  die  quinque  millia  homi- 
num  perirent.     Trebell.  Pollio  in  Gall.  P.  177.  ibid. 

{g)  Lupi  urbem  quingenti  fimul  ingrelb  funt,  in  quam  fe  Maxi- 
minus  contulerat — qaai  deferta  a  civibus  venienti  Maximino  pa- 
tuit.     Julius  Capicoiin.  in  Max.  Jun.  P.  150.  ibid. 

[h)  Quando  cum  feris  bella,  et  praelia  cum  leonibus  gefla  funt  ? 
Non  ante  nos  ?  Arnob.  adverf.  Gentes.  Lib.  i.  P.  5.  Edit.  Lugd, 
Bat.  1651. 


200 


DISSERTATIONS    on 


they  were  obliged  to  wage  with  lions  and  wild  bcafts  ;  as  wc 
may  collect  from  Arnobius,  who  wrote  foon  after  this  time. 
The  colour  of  the  pale  horfe  is  very  fuitable  to  the  mortality  of 
this  period ;  and  the  proclamation  for  death  and  deftruction 
is  fitly  made  by  a  creature  like  an  eagle,  that  watches  for  car- 
cafes.  This  period  continued  from  Maximin  to  Diocletian 
about  fifty  years. 

9  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  feal,  I  faw  under 
the  altar  the  fouls  of  them  that  were  flain  for  the  word  of 
God,  and  for  the  teftimony  which  they  held. 

10  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  faying,  How 
long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  doft  thou  not  judge  and 
avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ? 

11  And  white  robes  were  given  unto  every  one  of 
them,  and  it  was  faid  unto  them,  that  they  ihould  reft  yet 
for  a  little  feafon,  until  their  fellow-fervants  alfo,  and 
their  brethren  that  fhould  be  killed  as  they  were,  fhould 
be  fulfilled. 

The  following  feals  have  nothing  extrinfical,  like  the  pro- 
clamation of  the  living  creatures,  to  determine  from  what  quar- 
ter we  muft  expe6t  their  completion  ;  but  they  are  fufnciently 
diftinguifhed  by  their  internal  marks  and  characters.  The  fifth 
feal  or  period  is  remarkable  for  a  dreadful  perfecution  of  the 
Chriftlans,  w^ho  are  reprcfented  (ver.  9.)  lying  under  the  altar^ 
(for  the  fcene  is  ftill  in  the  tabernacle  or  temple)  as  facrifices 
newly  flain  and  offered  to  God.  They  cry  aloud^  (ver.  10.) 
for  the  Lord  to  judge  and  avenge  their  caufe  ;  that  is,  the  cru- 
elties exercifed  upon  them  were  of  fo  barbarous  and  atrocious 
a  nature,  as  to  deferve  and  provoke  the  vengeance  of  the  Lord. 
White  roles  are  given  unto  every  one  of  the?n^  (ver.  il.)  as  a 
token  of  their  juflification  and  acceptance  with  God  ;  and  they 
are  exhorted  to  reji  for  a  feafon^  till  the  number  of  the  martyrs 
be  completed,  when  they  fhall  receive  their  full  reward,  as  wc 
fhall  fee  hereafter.  Where  Mr.  Lowman  [a)  obferves  very 
well,  that  "  this  rcprefentation  feems  much  to  favour  the  imme- 
*'  diate  happinefs  of  departed  faints,  and  hardly  to  confift  with 
"  that  uncomfortable  opinion,  the  infenfible  ftate  of  departed 
"  fouls,  till  after  the  refurre(5lion."  There  were  other  perfe- 
cutions  before,  but  this  was  by  far  the  moft  confiderable,  the 

(^)  See  Lowman  on  the  Rev.  P.  51. 


THE    PROPHECIES  201 

tenth  and  laft  general  perfccution  which  was  begun  by  Diocle- 
tian, and  continued  by  others,  and  lafted  longer,  and  extended 
farther,  and  was  fiiarper  and  more  bloody  than  any  or  all  pre- 
ceding;  and  therefore  this  was  more  particularly  predicted. 
Eufebius  and  Laftantius,  who  were  two  eye-witnefles,  have  (a) 
written  large  accounts  of  it.  Orofius  (b)  afTerts,  that  this  per- 
fecution  was  longer  and  more  cruel  tlian  all  the  paft ;  for  it 
raged  inceflantly  for  ten  years,  by  burning  the  churches,  pro- 
fcribing  the  innocent,  and  flaying  the  martyrs.  Sulpicius 
Severus  too  (c)  defcribes  it  as  the  moft  bitter  perfecution, 
which  for  ten  years  together  depopulated  the  people  of  God ; 
at  which  time  all  the  world  almoil:  was  llained  with  the  facred 
blood  of  the  martyrs,  and  was  never  more  exhaufted  by  any 
wars.  So  that  this  became  a  memorable  sera  to  the  Chriftians, 
under  the  name  of  the  aera  of  Diocletian,  or  as  it  is  otherwife 
called,  the  cera  of  martyrs. 

12  And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the  fixth  feal, 
and  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  and  the  fun  became 
black  as  fackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as  blood. 

13  And  the  ftars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as 
a  fig-tree  cafleth  her  untimely  figs  when  fhe  is  fhaken  of 
a  mighty  wind  : 

14  And  the  heaven  departed  as  a  fcroll  when  it  is  roll- 
ed together  :  and  every  mountain  and  ifland  were  moved 
out  of  their  places  : 

15  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and 
the  rich  men,  and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty-men, 
and  every  bond-man,  and  every  free-man  hid  themfclves 
in  the  dens,  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains  : 

16  And  faid  to  the  mountains  and  rocks.  Fall  on  us 
and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  fitteth  on  the  throne, 
and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  : 

Vol.  II.  C  c 

{a)  Eufeb.  Ecclef.  Hift.  Lib.  8.  cum  fupplemento.  La£tantius 
de  Mortibus  Perfecut.  Cap.  7,  &c. 

(^)  — quae  perfecutio  omnibus  fere  ante  aclisdiuturnioratque  im- 
maniorfuit.  Namperdecemannosincendiisccciefiarum,  profcrip- 
tionibus innocentum,  cjedibus martyrum,  incefiabiliter  ada eft.  Orof. 
Hirt.  Lib.  7.  Cap.  25,  P.  528.  Edit.  Havercamp. 

(c)  Acerbiflimum  perfecutio,  qus  per  decern  continues  annos  ple- 
bem  Dei  depopulata  eft ;  qua  tempeftate  omnis  fere  facro  martyrum 
cruore  orbis  infeftuseft  :— Nulius  unquam  magis  beilis  mundus  ex- 
hauftuseftSulp.  Sever.  Hift.Sacr.  Lib.  2. P.  99.  Edit.Elezvir.  16^6. 


202 


DISSERTATIONS    on 


17   For  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come  j  and  who 
ihall  be  able  to  ftand  ? 

The  fixth  feal  or  period  produceth  mighty  changes  and  re- 
volutions, which  according  to  the  prophetic  ftile  are  exprefled 
by  great  commotions  in  the  earth  and  in  the  heavens.  The 
very  fame  images,  the  very  fame  exprelTions  are  employed  by 
other  prophets  concerning  the  mutations  and  alterations 
of  religions  and  governments  :  and  why  may  they  not  there- 
fore with  equal  htnefs  and  propriety  be  applied  to  one  of  the 
greateft  and  moil:  memorable  revolutions  which  ever  were  In 
the  world,  the  fubverfion  of  the  Heathen  religion,  and  efta- 
bllihment  of  the  Chrillian,  which  was  begun  by  Conilantine 
the  great,  and  was  completed  by  his  fuccefTors  ?  The  feries  of 
the  prophecy  requires  this  application,  and  all  the  phrafes  and 
expreflions  will  eafily  admit  of  fuch  a  conftru6tion.  And  I  he- 
held  when  he  had  opened  the  fixth  feal  (verf.  12.)  and  lo^  there 
ivas  (according  to  the  Greek)  a  great  earthquake^  or  rather  a 
great  concujfion  ;  for  the  word  in  the  original  comprehends 
the  ihaking  of  heaven  as  well  as  o'i  earth.  The  fame  phrafe  is 
uf:d  by  the  prophet  Haggai  (ii.  6,  21.)  concerning  the  firft 
coming  of  Chrift,  "I  will  fhake  the  heavens  and  the  earth  :'* 
and  this  fhaking,  as  the  apoftle  faith,  Heb.  xii.  27,  "  fignifieth 
"  the  removing  of  thofe  things  which  are  fhaken;"  and  fo  the 
prophet  Haggai  himfelf  explains  it,  "  I  will  fhake  the  hea- 
*'  vens  and  the  earth,  And  I  will  overthrow  the  throne  of 
"  kingdoms,  and  I  will  deftroy  the  ftrength  of  the  kingdoms 
*'  of  the  heathen."  And  where  was  ever  a  greater  conculfion 
or  removal,  than  when  Chriftianity  was  advanced  to  the  throne 
of  Paganifm,  and  idolatry  gave  place  to  the  true  religion  ? 
Then  follow  the  particular  effe(3:s  of  this  general  concuffion 
(verf.-  12,  13,  14.)  And  the  fun  became  black  as  fack  cloth  of  hair 
and  the  ?noon  became  as  blood  j  And  thejiars  of  heaven  fell  unto 
the  earthy  even  as  a  fig-tree  cafieth  her  untimely  figs  when  fhe 
is /ha ken  of  a  mighty  wind  :  And  the  heavens  departed  as  a 
fcrole  when  it  is  rolled  together  ;  and  every  mountain  and  ifiand 
were  moved  out  of  their  places.  Ifaiah  fpeakcth  much  in  the  fame 
manner  concerning  Babylon  and  Idumea,  xiii.  10.  xxxiv.  4. 
•'  For  the  ftars  of  heaven  and  the  conftelJations  thereof  (hall 
"  not  give  their  light ;  the  fun  fhall  be  darkened  in  his  going 
"  forth,  and  the  moon  iliall  not  caufe  her  light  to  lliine  :  And 
*'  all  the  hoft  of  heaven  fhali  be  diilblvcd,  and  the  heavens 


THE    PROPHECIES.  203 

"  fliall  be  rolled  together  as  a  fcrole;  and  all  their  hoft  fliall  fidl 
"  down  as  the  leaf  falleth  off  from  the  vine,  and  as  a  falling  iig 
"  from  the  fig-tree.'*     And  Jeremiah,  concerning  the  land  of 
Judahjiv.  23,24.  "  I  beheld  the  earth,  and  lo,it  was  without  form 
"  and  void;  and  the  heavens  and  they  had  no  light.     I  beheld 
"  the  mountains,  and  lo,  they  trembled,  and  all  the  hills  moved 
^^  lightly."    And  Ezekiel,  concerning  Egypt,  xxxii.  7.  "  And 
"  when  I  fliail  put  thee  out,  I  will  cover  the  heaven,  and  make 
"  the  ftars  thereof  dark;  I  will  cover  the  fun  with  a  cloud,  and 
"  the  moon  Ihall  not  give  her  light."     And  Joel,  concerning 
Jeru(^dem,  ii.    10,  31.     "  The  earth  fhall  quake  before  them, 
"  the  heavens  fiiall  tremble,  the  fun  and  the  moon  fhall  be  dark, 
"  and  the  liars  fhall  withdraw  their  {hining:  The  fun  fliall  be 
"  turned  into  darknefs,  and  the  moon   into  blood,  before  the 
''  great  and  the  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  come."     And  our  Sa- 
viour  himfelf  alfo,  concerning    the  deftru6iion  of  Jerufalem, 
Matt.-  xxiv.  29.  "  The  fun  fliall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  fliall 
"  not  give  her  light,  and  the  fl:ars  fliall  fall  from  heaven,  and 
"  the  powers  of  the  heavens  fliall  be  fliaken."  Now  it  is  certain, 
that  the  fall   of  any  of  thefe  cities  and  kingdoms  was  not  of 
greater  concern  and  confequence  to   the  world,  nor  more  de- 
ferving  to  be  defcribed  in  fuch  pompous  figures,  than  the  fall 
of  the  Pagan  Roman  empire,  when  the  great  lights  of  the  hea- 
then world,  the  fun,  moon^  andjiarsy  the  powers  civil   and  ec- 
elefiaftical,    were   all  eclipfed  and  obfcured,  the   heathen  em- 
perors and  Caefars  were  flain,  the  Heathen  priefts  and  augurs 
were  extirpated,   the  heathen  officers  and  magiftrates  were  re- 
moved,  the  heathen  temples  were  demolifhed,  and  their  reve- 
nues appropriated  to  better  ufes.     It  is-cuftomary  with  the  pro- 
phets, after  they  have  defcribed  a  thing  in  the  mod  f/mbolical 
and  figurative  di6tion,  to  reprefent  the  fame  again  in   plainer 
language:  and  the  fame  method  is  obferved  here,  verf.  15,  16, 
17.  "  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the 
"  rich   men,    and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and 
"  every   bond-man,  and  every  free-man,"   that,  is    Maximiaii 
Galerius,  Maximin,  Mexentius,  Lucinius,  Scq.  with  all  their 
adherents   and    followers,  were  (o  routed   and    difperfed,  that 
they  «  hid  themfelves   in   the  dens,  and  in    the   rocks  of  the 
"  mountains,   and  fciid  to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  fall  on  us, 
"  and  hide  us;"  expreflions  ufed,  as  in  other  prophets,  (if.  ii. 
1*9,  21.   Hof.  X.  8.  Luke  xxiii.  30.)  to  denote  the  utmoft  terror 
and  confl:ernation;  Fallen  us,  a 'id  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him 


204        DISSERTATIONS     on 

that  fittcth  upon  the  throne^  and  from  the  tvrath  of  the  Lamh  ; 
for  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  h  come  \  and  who  J})all  be  able  to 
Jiandt  This  is  therefore  a  triumph  oFChrilt  over  his  Heathen 
enemies,  and  a  triumph  after  a  fevere  perfecution ;  fo  that  the 
time,  and  all  the  circumftance?,  as  well  as  the  feries  and  order 
of  the  prophecy,  agree  perfectly  with  this  interpretation.  (<?) 
Galerius,  [b)  Maximin,  and  (^)  Licinius,  made  even  a  public 
confe:Tion  of  their  guilt,  recalled  their  decrees  and  edidls  againft 
the  Chriftians,  and  acknowledged  the  juft  judgments  of  God 
and  of  Chrift  in  their  defl:ru6lion. 

CHAP.    VII. 

I      AND  after  thefe  things,  I  faw  four  angels  ftand- 
Xj^  ing  on  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding  the 
four  vviiids  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind  fhould  not  blow  on 
the  earth,  nor  on  the  fea,  nor  on  any  tree. 

2  And  I  faw  another  angel  afcending  from  the  eafl, 
having  the  feal  of  the  living  God :  and  he  cried  with  a 
loud  voice  to  the  four  angels,  to  whom  it  was  given  to 
hurt  the  earth  and  the  fea, 

3  Saying,  Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  Tea,  nor  the 
trees,  till  we  have  fealed  the  iervants  of  our  God  in  their 
foreheads. 

4  And  I  heard  the  number  of  them  which  were  fealed  : 
and  there  were  fealed  an  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thou- 
fand,  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Ifrael. 

5  Of  the  tribe  of  Judah  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand. 
Of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  were  fealed  twelve  thoufapd.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Gad  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand. 

6  Of  the  tribe  of  Afer  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand.  Oi 
the  tribe  of  Nephthalim  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Manafles  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand. 

7  Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand. 
Of  the  tribe  of  Levi  v)ere  fealed  twelve  thoufand.  Of  the 
tribe  of  Ifachar  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand. 


(fl)  Eufeb.  Ecclef  Hirt.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  17.  De  Vita  Conitant.  Lib. 
1.  Cap.  56.  Ladantius  de  Mort.  Perfecut.  Cap.  33,  &rc. 

{h)  Eufeb.  Ecclef  Hift.  Lib.  9.  Cap.  9,  10,  11.  De  VitaConfl:. 
Lib.  I.  Cap.  59.  Laftant.  ibid.  Cap.  49. 

(<:)  Eufeb.  de  Vita  Conftant,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  18. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  20S 

8  Of  the  tribe  of  Zebulon  wsre  fcalcd  twelve  thoufand. 
of  the  tribe  of  Jofeph  zuere  fcaled  twelve  thoufand.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin  were  fealed  twelve  thoufand. 

9  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude  which 
no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and 
people,  and  tongues,  flood  before  tlie  throne,  and  before 
the  Lamb,  cloathed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their 
hands ; 

10  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  faying  Salvation  to 
our  God  which  fitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb. 

11  And  all  the  angels  flood  roundabout  the  throne, 
and  about  the  elders,  and  the  four  bcalls,  and  fell  before 
the  throne  on  their  faces,  and  worfhipped  God, 

12  Sayino;,  Amen:  BlefBng  and  glory,  and  wifdom, 
and  thankfgiving,  and  honour,  and  power  and  might  b^ 
unto  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

13  And  one  of  the  elders  anfwered,  faying  unto  me. 
What  are  thefe  which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes  ?  and 
whence  came  they  ? 

14  And  I  faid  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  knowefl.  And  he 
faid  to  me,  Thefe  are  they  which  came  out.  of  great  tri- 
bulation, and  have  wafhed  their  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lanb. 

15  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and 
ferve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple :  and  he  that  fit- 
teth on  the  throne  fhall  dwell  among  them. 

16  They  fhall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirfl  any  more, 
neither  fhall  the  fun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat. 

17  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  m.idil  of  the  throne, 
fhall  feed  them,  and  fhall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains 
of  waters  :  And  God  fhall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes. 

What  follows  in  this  chapter  is  flill  a  continuation  of  the 
fixth  feal,  for  the  feventh  feal  is  not  opened  till  the  beginning 
of  the  next  chapter.  It  is  a  defcription  of  the  flate  of  the 
church  in  Conflantine's  time,  of  the  peace  and  protetSlion  that 
it  fhould  enjoy  under  the  civil  powers,  and  of  the  great  accef- 
fion  that  fhould  be  made  to  it  both  of  Jev/s  and  Gentiles. 
Four  a?igcls   (vcr.  i,  2,  3.)  are  ordered  by  another  angel  to 


2o6        DISSEIITATIONS    on 

reftrain  the  four  winds  from  blowing  with  violence  on  any  part 
of  the  world ;    to  fhow  that  thefe  were  halcyon  days,  wherein 
the  former  wars  and  perfecutions  fliould  ceafe,    and  peace  and 
tranquillity  be  reftored  for  afeafon.     Eufebius  is  very  copious 
upon  this  fubjeil  in  feveral  parts  of  his  writings  ;    and  hath  {a) 
applied  that  pafTageof  the  Pfalmift  in  the  verfion  of  the  Seven- 
tieth, Pfal.  xivi.  8j  9.     «  Come  hither,  and  behold  the  works  of 
**  the  Lord,  what  wonders  he  hath  wrought  in  the  earth  :    He 
"  maketh  wars  to  ceafe  unto  the  end  of  the  earth,    he  breaketh 
"  the  bov/,  and  cutteth  the  fpear  afunder,    he  burneth  the  cha- 
"  riot  in  the  firej"    which  things,  faith  he,    being   manifeftly 
fulfilled  in  our  times,  v/e  rejoice   over  them.      La61:antius  alfo 
{b)  faith  in  the  fame  triumphant  ftrain,  that  "  tranquillity  being 
*'  reflored  throughout  the  world,  the  church  which  was  lately 
"  ruined  rifeth  again.       Nov/    after    the  violent   agitations  of 
"  fo  great  a  tempeft,    a  calm  air  and  the  dcfired  light  become 
"  refplendent.     Now  God  hath  relieved  the  alllitSted.       Now 
"  he  hath  wiped  away  the  tears  of  the  forrowful.'*      Thefe  are 
teftimonies  of    contemporary  v/riters  ;    and  fome   {c)  medals 
of  Confiantine  are  flill  preferved  with  the  head  of  this  emper- 
or on  one  fideand  this  infcription  CONST  ANTINUS  AUG. 
andonthereverfeBEATA    TRANQUILLITAS,  ■  Blejfed 
Tranquillity.     During  this  time  of  tranquillity  the  fervants  of 
God  were  to  he  fealed  in  their  foreheads.     It  is  an  expreilion  in 
allufion  to  the  ancient  cuftom  of  marking  fervants  in  their  fore- 
heads to  diflinguifh  what  they  v/ere,  and  to  whom  they  belong- 
ed.    Now  among  chriftians  baptifm  being  the  feal  of  the  coye- 
nant  between   God  and  man,    is  therefore  by  ancient  writers 
{d)  often  called  the  feal^  the  fign.^    the  mark  and  chara^er  of 
the  Lord  :  and  it  was  the  [e)  pratSlice  in  early  times,  as  it  is  at 
prefent,  to  make  the  fign  of   the  crofs  upon   the  foreheads  of 
the  parties  baptized.       The  fame   fign  of    the  crofs  w^as  alfo 

{a)  Eufcb.  Ecclef.  Hift.  Lib.  10.  Cap.  i. — Q^-x  cum  omnia  nollris 
temporibus  manifelle  completa  lint,  Ixti  deinceps  et  gratulabundi-- 
{b)  Reftitiua  perorbem  tranquillitate,  profligata  nupcr  ccclefia 
rurfumexfurgit.— Nunc  poll  tanta^tempeitatisviolemos  turbines  pla- 
cidus  acretoptata  lux  refulfu.  NuncDeusafHiftos  fublevavit.  Nunc 
nirerentium  lacrymas  dcterflt.  Ladantius  de  Mort.  FerCecut.  Cap.  i . 
(r)  See  Daubuz.  P.  3  i  I. 

{d)  See  Mede^  P.  5  u .     Bingliam's  Antiquities,  B.  1 1 .  Chap,  i . 
Sec.  6  et  7. 

(f)  See  Cave's  Primitive  ChrllVianity,  Pnrti.Ch.  10.     Bir.g- 
ham,  ibid.  Ch.  9.  820.4-,  ^^' 


THE    PROPHECIES.  207 

made  at  confirmation  ;  and  upon  many  other  occafionS  the 
Chriftians  figned  themlelv^es  with  the  fign  of  the  crofs  in  their 
foreheads,  as  a  token  that  they  were  not  afhamed  of  a  crucified 
mafter  ;  that  on  the  contrary,  they  gloried  in  the  crofs  of  Chrift, 
and  triumphed  in  that  fymbol  and  reprefentation  of  it.  The 
f eatings  therefore,  of  the  few  ants  of  God  in  ihelr  foi^eheads^  at 
this  jun(f^ure,  can  imply  no  lefs,  than  that  many  converts  fliould 
be  baptized ;  and  thofe,  who  before,  in  times  of  perfecution^ 
had  been  compelled  to  worfhip  God  in  private,  fhould  now 
make  a  free,  open,  andpublic  profeilion  of  their  religion;  and 
that  fuch  an  acceffion  was  made  to  the  church,  every  one 
knoweth,  who  knoweth  any  thing  of  the  hiftory  of  this  time. 
As  the  church  of  Chrift  was  firft  formed  out  of  the  Jewifh 
church  and  nation,  fohere  (verf.  4 — 8.)  the  fpiritual  Ifrael  is 
£rft  mentioned  ;  and  the  number  of  the  thoufands  of  Ifrael  is 
that  of  the  twelve  patriarchs  multiplied  by  the  twelve  ^poftles, 
v/hich  we  fhall  find  to  be  a  facred  number  throughout  the  Re- 
velation. But  the  twelve  tribes  are  not  enumerated  here  in 
the  fame  method  and  order,  as  they  are  in  other  places  of  holy 
fcripture.  Judah  hath  the  firft  rank  and  precedence,  becaufe 
from  him  defcended  the  Melliah.  Dan  is  entirely  omitted,' 
and  Ephraim  is  not  mentioned,  becaufe  they  were  the  principal 
promoters  of  idolatry,  and  therefore  Levi  is  fubftituted  in  the 
room  of  the  one,  and  Jofeph  is  mentioned  inftead  of  the  other. 
The  children  too  of  the  bond-woman  and  of  the  free-woman 
are  confounded  together,  there  being,  Gal.  iii.  28.  "  in  Chrift 
"  Jefus,  neither  bond  nor  free."  Befides  fome  of  all  the 
tribes  of  Ifrael,  there  was  an  innumerable  multitude  of  all  nati^ 
ons  and  tongues^  doathed  with  white  rohes^  and  palms  in  their 
handsy  (verf.  9,  lO.)  who  received  and  embraced  the  gofpel  : 
and  as  Sulpicius  Severus  [a)  fays,  it  is  wonderful  how  much 
the  Chriftian  religion  prevailed  at  that  time.  The  hiftorians, 
who  have  written  of  this  reign,  [b)  relate  how  even  the  moil 
remote  and  barbarous  nations  were  converted  to  the  faith,  Jews 
as  well  as  Gentiles.     One  hiftorian  in  particular,     {c)  affirms, 

{a)  Hoc  temporum  tradlu  mirum  eft  quantum  invaluerit  religio 
ChrilHana.  Sulpic.  Sever.  Sacr.Hif.  lib.  2  p.  100 Edit.  Elzevir.  1656, 

{b)  Sacrates  Hill.  Ecclef.  Lib.  I.  Cap.  18,  19,  zo.  Sozomen. 
Hill.  Ecclef.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  5,  6,  7,  8,  &c.  &c. 

(r)  Hoc  tempore  Romse  baptizati  funt  Judaeis  et  Idololateri.s 
ultra  duodecim  hominum  millia,  praeter  mulieres  etpueros.  Abul 
Pharajii  Hid.  Dyn.  7.  p.  85.  verf.  Pocockii.  Vide  etiam  Epiphanii 
Ha^-ref.  30.  Sec.  4,  &c.  p.  127.  Vol.  i.  Edit.  Petavii. 


2o8  DISSERTATIONS    on 

that  at  the  time  when  Conftaiitine  took  poiTefiion  of  Rome, 
after  the  death  of  IvTaxeiitia<5,  theie  were  baptized  more  than 
twelve  thoufand  Jews  and  Heathens,  befides  women  and  chil- 
dren. The  angels  alfo  (verf.  ii>  13.)  join  in  the  celebration 
of  God  upon  thisoccafion:  for  if  "  there  is  joy,  Luke  xv.  10. 
"  in  the  prefence  of  the  angels  of  God,  over  one  fmner  that 
"  repsnteth,"  much  more  may  thofe  heavenly  fpirits  rejoice 
at  the  converfionof  whole  countries  and  nations.  Then  one 
of  the  elders  (verf.  13. — 17.)  explains  to  St.  John  fome  particu- 
lars relating  to  this  innum.erable  multitude  of  all  nations. 
They  h2LVQ palms  in  their  hands^  as  tokens  of  their  victory  and 
triumph  over  tribulation  and  perfecution.  They  are  arrayed 
in  white  rohesy  as  emblems  of  their  fan6tity  and  juftification 
through  the  merits  and  death  of  Chrift.  They  are,  like  the 
children  of  Ifrael,  arrivedat  their  Canaan,  or  land  of  reft,  and 
they  fhall  no  m.ore  fuff^r  hunger^  or  thirji^  or  heat^  as  they 
did  in  the  wlldernefs.  They  are  now  happily  freed  from  all 
their  former  troubles  and  moleftations  ;  and  their  heathen  ad- 
verfaries  ftiall  no  more  prevail  againft  them.  This  period  we 
may  fuppofe  to  have  continued  with  fome  little  interruption, 
from  the  reign  of  Conftantine  the  great  to  the  death  of  Theo- 
dofius  the  grca'i,  about  feventy  years. 


CHAP.    VIII. 

T      A   ND  when  he  had  opened  the  feventh  feal,  there 
jfj^  was  filence  in  heaven  about  the  fpace  of  half  an 
hour. 

2  And  I  faw  the  feven  angels  which  flood  before  God  ; 
and  to  them  were  given  feven  trumpets. 

3  And  another  angel  came  and  flood  at  the  altar,  hav- 
ing a  golden  cenfer;  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much 
incenfe,  that  he  fhould  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all 
faints  upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne. 

4  And  the  fmoke  of  the  incenfe  which  caine  with  the 
prayers  of  the  faints,  afcended  up  before  God,  out  of  the 
angel's  hand. 

5  And  the  angel  look  the  cenfer,  and  filled  it  with  fire 
of  the  altar,  and  caft  it  into  the  earth  :  and  there  were 
voices,  and  thundcrings,  and  lightnings,  and  an  earth- 
quake. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  7.09 

6  And  the  feven  angels  which  had  the  feven  trumpets, 
prepared  themfelves  to  found. 

The  feventh  feal  or  period  is  of  much  longer  duration,  and 
comprehends  many  more  events  than  any  of  the  former  feals. 
It  comprehends  indeed  feven  periods  diftinguiihed  by  the  found- 
ing of  feven  trumpets.  At  the  opening  of  this  feal  (ver.  i.) 
there  wasfilence  in  heaven  about  the /pace  of  half  an  hour.  This 
filence  of  half  an  hour  is  a  fign  that  the  peace  of  the  church 
would  continue  but  for  a  (hort  feafon.  It  is  an  interval  and 
paufe  as  it  were  between  the  foregoing  and  the  fuccccding  vi- 
fions.  It  is  a  mark  of  folemnity  ,  to  procure  attention,  and  to 
prepare  the  mind  for  great  and  fignal  events  ;  and  not  without 
anallufion  to  a  ceremony  among  the  Jews.  Philo  {a)  informs 
us,  the  incenfe  ufed  to  be  offered  before  the  morning,  and  af- 
ter the  evening  facrifice  :  and  while  the  facrifices  were  made, 
(2  Chron.  xxix.  25 — 28.)  the  voices  and  inftruments,  and 
trumpets  founded ;  while  the  prieft  went  into  the  temple  to 
burn  incenfe,  (Luke  i.  10.)  all  were  filent,  and  the  people  pray- 
ed without  to  themfelves.  Now  this  was  the  morning  of  the 
church,  and  therefore  the  filence  precedes  the  founding  of  the 
trumpets.  It  was  neccflary,  before  the  trumpets  could  be 
founded,  that  they  fhould  h^  given  (ver.  2.)  to  the  feven  arch- 
angels, who  were  to  execute  the  will  of  God,  and  to  found 
the  trumpets  each  in  his  feafon.  At  the  fame  time  (ver.  3, 
4,  5.)  another  angel^  like  the  prieft,  having  a  golden  cenfcr^  of- 
fereth  incenfe  w/V^  the  prayers  of  all  faints  ;  and  then  filleth 
the  cenfer  with  fire  of  the  altar^  and  cafieth  into  the  earth  ; 
as  in  Ezekiel  x.  2.  coals  of  fire  are  taken  from  between  the 
cherubim^  and  fcattered  over  Jerufalem,  to  denote  the  judgments 
of  God  to  be  executed  upon  that  city.  Whereupon  immedi- 
ately enfue  voices^  and  thunderings^  and  lightnings^  and  an 
earthquake^  the  ufual  prophetic  figns  and  preludes  of  great  ca- 
lamities and  commotions  upon  earth.  Then  the  angels  (ver. 
6. )  prepare  themfelves  to  found  :  and  as  the  feals  foretold  the 
ftate  and  condition  of  the  Roman  empire  before  and  till  it  be- 
came Chriftian,  fo  the  trumpets  forefhow  the  fate  and  condition 
of  it  afterwards.  The  found  of  the  trumpet^  as  Jeremiah  (i  v.  19.) 
fays,  and  as  every  one  unde.ftaiids  it,  V^the  alarm  of  war  \  and 
the  founding  of  thefe  trumpets  is  defigned  to  roufe   and  excite. 

Vol.  II.  D  d 

(«)  — ante  matutinum  et  poft  vefpertinuinfacrificium — Philo  dc 
Viaimis,  P.  836.  Edit.  Paris.   1640. 


210        DISSERTATIONS     on 

the  nations  againftthe  Roman  empire,  called  the  third  part  of 
the  world,  as  perhaps  including  the  third  partof  the  world,  and 
being  feated  principally  in  Europe,  the  third  part  of  the  world 
at  that  time. 

7  The  fir  ft  angel  founded,  and  there  followed  hail  and 
fire  mingled  with  hlood,  and  they  were  caft  upon  the 
earth  :  and  the  third  part  of  trees  were  burnt  up,  and  all 
green  grafs  was  burnt  up. 

At  the  founding  of  the  firft  trumpet  (ver.  7.)  the  barbarous 
nations,  likea^lormof  hail  and  Jire  mingled  with  bloody  invade 
the  Roman  territories;  and  deflroy  the  third  part  of  treesy 
that  is  the  trees  of  the  third  part  of  the  earth,  and  the  green  grafsy 
that  is  both  old  and  young,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor  together, 
Theodofius  the  great  died  in  the  year  three  hundred  and  ninety- 
five  ;  and  no  fooner  was  he  dead,  than  the  (a)  Huns,  Goths, 
and  other  barbarians,  like  hail  for  multitude,  and  breathing 
£re  and  flaughter,  broke  in  upon  the  beft  provinces  of  the  em- 
pire both  in  the  eaft  and  weft,  with  greater  fuccefs  than  they 
had  ever  done  before.  But  by  this  trumpet,  I  conceive,  were 
principally  intended  the  irruptions  and  depredations  of  the 
Goths  {b)  under  the  conduct  of  the  famous  Alaric,  who  began 
his  incurfions  in  the  fame  year  three  hundred  and  ninety-five, 
firft  ravaged  Greece,  then  wafted  Italy,  befieged  Rome,  and 
was  bought  off"  at  an  exorbitant  price,  befieged  it  again  in  the 
year  four  hundred  and  ten,  took  and  plundered  the  city,  and 
iet  fire  to  it  in  feveral  places.  Philoftorgius,  who  lived  in  and 
wrote  of  thefe  times,  (c)  faith  that  "  the  fword  of  the  bar- 
"  barians  deftroyed  the  greateft  multitude  of  men ;  and  among 
"  other  calamities  dry  heats  with  flafties  of  flame  and  whirl- 
"  winds  of  fire  occafioned  various  and  intolerable  terrors  ; 
"  yea,    and  hail   greater  than  could  be  held  in  a  man's  hand 

{a)  SocratisEcclcf.  Hill.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  i.  Sozomen.  Lib.  8. 
Cap.  1.  Zofimi  Hift.  Lib.  5  et  6.  Pauli  Orefii  Hift.  Lib.  7.  Cap.  37, 
&c.  Car.  SigoniiHift.  de  Occidentali  Imperio,  Lib.  10. 

(^)  Zofim.  Orof.  Sigon  ibid.  Sec.  Philoftorgius.  Lib.  11  et  12. 

(c)  Nam  et  barbaricus  emis  maximam  hominum  multitudinem 
delevit ; — ficcitates  flainmea:,  et  ignis  turbines  ca^litus  immifli, 
meltiplicem  atque  intolerabilem  intulerunt  calamitatem.  Sed  et 
grando,  lapide  nianum  implentc  major,  multis  in  locis  decidit. 
Deprehenfa  enim  eft  alicubi,  qua:  afto  librarum,  et  vocant,  pondus 
a:quaret,     Philoftorgii  Hift.  Ecclef.  Lib.  11.  Cap.  7. 


thePROPHECIES.  211 

"  fell  down  in  feveral  places,  weighing  as  much  as  eight 
"  pounds."  Well  therefore  might  the  prophet  compare  thefe 
incurfions  of  the  barbarians  to  hail  and  fire  ?mngledwtth  blood. 
Claudian  in  like  manner  compares  them  to  [a)  a  Itorm  of  bail 
in  his  poem  on  this  very  war.  Jerome  alfo  (b)  faith  of  fome 
of  thefe  barbarians,  "  tliat  they  came  on  unexpecSledly  every 
"  where,  and  marching  quicker  than  report,  fpared  not  reli- 
"  gion,  nor  dignities,  nor  age,  nor  had  com  pa  (lion  on  crying 
"  infants  ;  thofe  were  compelled  to  die,  who  had  not  yet  bc- 
"  gun  to  live.'^  So  truly  did  they  deftroy  the  tj^ees  and  the 
green  grafs  together. 

8  And  the  fecond  angel  founded,  and  as  it  vi^ere  a  great 
mountain  burning  with  fire  was  caft  into  the  fea  ;  and  the 
third  part  of  the  fea  became  blood : 

9  And  the  third  part  of   the  creatures  which  were  in 
the  fea,  and  had  life,  died  ;  and  the  third  part  of  the  fhips  * 
were  deftroyed. 

At  the  founding  of  the  fecond  trumpet,  (ver.  8,  9.)  as  it 
were  a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire  ;  that  is,  a  great  war- 
like nation  or  hero  (for  in  the  {c)  ftile  of  poetry,  which  is 
near  akin  to  the  ftile  of  prophecy,  heroes  are  compared  to 
mountains  ;)  caft  into  the  fea^  turneth  the  third  part  of  it  into 
bloody  and  deftroyeththefijhes^  and  the  fioips  therein-,  that  is, 
falling  on  the  Roman  empire,  maketha  fea  of  blood,  with  horri- 
ble deftru6tion  of  the  cities  and  inhabitants  :  for  waters^  as  the 
angel  afterwards  (xvii.  15.)  explains  them  to  St.  John,  are 
"  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues,"  and  the 
third  part  is  all  along  the  Roman  empire  ;  for  it  pofTefTed  in 
Afia  and  Africa,    as  much  as    it  wanted  in  Europe,  to  make 

{a)   Claudian  de  Bello  Getico.  ver.  173. 

Ex  illo,  quocunque  vagos  impegit  Erinnys, 
Grandinis  aut  morbi  ritu  per  devia  rerum 
PraEcipites,  per  claufa,  ruunt. 
Where  Mr.  Daubuz  would  read  nimbi,  inftcad  of  morbi. 

{b)  Infperati  ubique  aderant,  et  famam  celeritate  vincentes,  non 
religioni,  non  dignitatibas,  non  a:tati  parccbant;  non  vagienti.s 
miferabantur  infantia;.  Cogebantur  mori,  qui  nondum  vivere  cce- 
perant.  Hieron.  Epill.  84.  de  morte  Fabiolsi.  Col.  661.  Tom.  4. 
par.  2.  Edit.  Benedidl. 

{e)  So  Virgil  of  his  hero.  /En.  xii.701. 

Quantus  Athos,  aut  quantus  Eryx,  aut  ipfe  corufcii 
Cum  fremit  ilicibus  quantus,  gaudctque  nivali 
Vertice  fe  attoUens  pater  Appenuinus  -aA  auras. 


212        DISSERTATIONS    on 

up  the  third  part  of  the  world,  and  the  principal  part  was  in  Eu- 
rope, ihc  third  part  of  the  world  at  that  time.  The  next  great 
ravagers  after  Alaric  and  his  Goths,  were  Attila  and  his  Huns, 
who  for  tne  fpace  of  fourteen  years, as  ((?)  Sigonius  fays,  ftiook  the 
eaft  and  weft  with  the  moft  cruel  fear,  and  deformed  the  provinces 
of  each  empire  with  all  kind  of  plundering,  (laughter,  and  burning. 
They  [I?)  hrft  wafted  Thrace  and  Greece,  putting  all  to  fire  and 
fword,  and  compelled  the  eaftcrn  emperor,  Theodofius  the  fecond, 
to  purchi^fe  a  ihametul  peace.  Then  Attila  turned  his  arms  a- 
gainft  the  weftern  emperor,  Valentinian  the  third;  entered  Gaul 
with  feven  hundred  thoufand  men,  and  not  content  with  taking 
and  fpoiling,  ft  moft  of  the  cities  on  fire.  But  at  length,  being 
there  vigoroufiy  oppofed,  he  fell  upon  Italy,  took  and  deftroyed 
Aquileia,  withleveral  othercities,  flaying  the  inhabitants,  andlay- 
ingthebuildingsinalhes,  and  (^)  filled  all  places  between  the  Alps 
ana  Apenine  wi.h flight, depopulation, (laughter, fervitude,  burn- 
ing, and  dtfperation.  He  was  preparing  to  march  to  Rome,  but 
was  diverted  from  his  purpofe  by  a  folemn  embaflV  from  the  em- 
peror, and  the  promife  of  an  annual  tribute ;  and  fo  concluding 
a  truce,  retired  out  of  Italy,  and  pafied  into  his  own  dominions 
beyond  the  Danube.  Such  a  man  might  properly  be  compared 
to  a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire^  who  really  was,  as  he 
called  himfelf,  [d)  the  fcoiirge  of  God^  and  the  terror  of  men  % 
and  boafted,  that  he  was  fent  into  the  world  by  God  for  this 
purpofe;  that  as  the  executioner  of  his  juft  anger,  he  might 
iill  the  earth  with  all  kind  of  evils,  and  he  bounded  his 
cruelty  and  paffion  by  nothing  lefs  than  blood  and  bunding, 

10  And  the  third  angel  founded,  and  there  fell  a  great 
ftar  from  heaven,  burning  as  it  were  a  lamp,  and  it  fell 
upon  the  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains 
»-  -  ■  , 

(«)  Sigonius  deOccidentalilmperio.  Lib.  13.  Hunnicajamhinc 
bella  fcribere  ordiemur,  quae  poll  per  quatuordecemannos  faevifiima 
orieiitem;,  occidentemque  formidine  concufTerunt,  utriufque  impe- 
rii provincias  omni  direptione,  ftrage,  atque  incendiodeformarunt. 
(/>)  Sigonius  ibid.  Jornandes  de  rebus  Get.  &c.  &c. 
(c)  Jam  omnia,  qux  intra  Apenninum  et  Alpes  erant,  fuga,  popu- 
latione,  caede,  fervitute,  incendio,  et  defperatione,  repleta  erant. 
Sigon.  ibid.  Ann.  452. 

(^)  Qui  fcFlagellum  Dei,  etTerrorem  hominumappellabat,etad 
id  in  mundum  a  Deo  miffum  jadabat,  ut  tanquamjuftaeillius  vindex 
ira^  terras  omni  malorum  genere  permifcerer,  et  crudelitatem  ac  li- 
bidinem  fuam  non  nifi  fanguine  at  incendio  terminabat.  Sigon.  ibid 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  213 

1 1  And  the  name  of  the  ftar  is  called  Wormwood :  and 
the  third  part  of  the  waters  became  wormwood  :  and  ma- 
ny men  died  of  the  waters,  becaufe  they  were  made  bitter. 

At  the  founding  of  the  third  trumpet,  (verf.  10,  11.)  a  great 
prince  appears  like  a  Jiar  /hooting  froin  heaven  to  earth  :  a 
fimilitude  not(^)  unufual  in  poetry.  His  coming  therefore  is 
fudden  and  unexpected,  and  his  ftay  but  fhort.  The  name  rf 
the  Jiar  is  called  Wormwood^  and  he  infects  the  third  part  of 
the  rivers  and  fountains  with  the  bittcrnefs  of  wormwood  \  that 
is,  he  is  a  bitter  enemy,  and  proveth  the  author  of  grievous 
calamities  to  the  Roman  empire.  The  rivers  2Xid.  fountains 
have  a  near  connection  with  x^^  fea  :  and  it  was  within  two 
years  after  Attila's  retreat  from  Italy,  that  Valentinian  was 
murdered,  and  Maximus,  who  had  caufed  him  to  be  murdered 
reigned  in  his  {lead.  (^)  Genferic,  the  Icing  of  the  Vandals 
fettled  in  Africa,  was  folicited  by  Eudoxia,  the  widow  of  the 
deceafed  emperor,  to  come  and  revenge  his  death.  Genferic 
accordingly  embarked  with  three  hu.iJred  tioufand  V^andals 
and  Moors,  and  arrived  upon  the  Roniaa  coail  in  June  455, 
the  emperor  and  people  not  expe6ting  nor  thin.cing  jf  any  I'uch 
enemy,  he  landed  his  men,  and  marched  directly  towards  Rome, 
whereupon  the  inhabitants  flying  into  the  woods  an  J  mou.itains, 
the  city  fell  an  eafy  prey  into  his  hands.  He  abandoned  it  to 
the  cruelty  and  avarice  of  his  foldlers,  who  plundered  it  for 
fourteen  days  together,  not  only  fpoiling  the  private  houfes 
and  palaces,  but  ftripping  the  public  buildings,  and  even  the 
churches  of  their  riches  and  ornaments.  He  then  fet  fail 
again  for  Africa,  carrying  away  Vv^ith  him  immenfe  wealth,  and 
an  innumerable  multitude  of  captives,  together  with  the  emprefs 
Eudoxia  and  her  two  daughters  ;  and  left  the  ftate  fo  weakened, 
that  in  a  little  time  it  was  utterly  fub verted.  Some  critics 
underftand  rivers  z.n(\  fountains  with  relation  to  docftrines  ;  and 
in  this  fenfe  the  application  is  ftill  very  proper  to  Genferic, 
who  was  a  moft  bigoted  Arian,  and  during  his  whole  reign 
moft  cruelly  perfecuted  the  orthodox  Chriftians.  Vidor 
Ucicenfis,  or  Vitenfis,  as  he  is  more  ufually  called,  who  (c) 
wrote  in  three  books  the  hiftory  of  this   perfecuti on  by  the 

(a)  Homer  :  Iliad  iv,  75. 

(c)  EvagriiHift.  Ecclef.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  7.  Zonarae  Annal.  Lib.  13. 
in  fine.    Sigonius  de  Imperio  Occidentali.  Lib.  14.  Ann.  455.  &c. 
(c)  Voflius  de  Hift.  Latiuis  Lib.  2.  Cap.  18,  Hofmanni  Lex, 


214        DISSERTATIONS     ok 

Vandals,  fpeaking  of  St.  Auftin,  (7)  hath  ufed  this  very  fame 
metaphor,  of  the  river  of  his  eloquence  being  dried  up,  and  his 
fweetnefs  being  turned  into  the  bitternejs  of  wormwood, 

12  And  the  fourth  angel  founded,  and  the  third  part  of 
the  fun  was  fmitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and 
the  third  part  of  the  ftars ;  fo  as  the  third  part  of  them  was 
darkened,  and  the  day  ftione  not  for  a  thud  part  of  it,  and 
the  night  likewife. 

At  the  founding  of  the  fourth  trumpet,  (ver.  I2.)  the  third 
part  of  the  fun ^  moon^  andjiars^  that  is,  the  great  lights  of  the 
Roman  empire,  are  eclipfed  2.nd  darhned^  and  remain  in  dark- 
nefs  for  fome  time.  Genferic  left  the  weftern  empire  in  a 
weak  and  defperate  condition.  It  ftruggled  hard,  and  gafped 
as  it  were  for  breath,  through  (b)  eight  fhort  and  turbulent 
reigns,  for  the  fpace  of  twenty  years,  and  at  length  expired  in 
the  year  four  hundred  and  feventy-fix  under  Momyllus,  or 
Auguftulus  as  he  was  named  in  derifion,  being  a  diminutive 
Auguftus.  This  change  was  affe<fled  by  Odoacer  king  of  the 
Heruli,  who  coming  to  Rome  with  an  army  of  barbarians, 
flripped  Momyllus  of  the  imperial  robes,  put  an  end  to  the  very 
name  of  the  weftern  empire,  and.  caufed  himfelf  to  be  pro- 
claimed King  of  Italy.  His  •  kingdom  indeed  was  of  no  long 
duration :  for  after  a  reign  of  fixteen  years  he  was  overcome 
and  (lain  (c)  in  the  year  four  hundred  and  ninety-three  by 
Theodoric  king  of  the  Oftrogoths  who  founded  the  kingdom 
of  the  Oftrogoths  in  Italy,  which  continued  about  fixty  years 
under  his  fucceftors.  l^hus  was  the  Roman  fun  extinguifhed 
in  the  weftern  emperor ;  hut  the  other  lefler  luminaries,  the 
jnoon  and  J^ars,  ftill  fubfiftcd ;  for  Rome  was  ftill  allowed  to 
have  her  fcnate,  and  confuls,  and  other  fubordinate  magiftates 
as  before.     Odoacar  (d)  at  Erft  fupprefted  him,  but  after  two 


(a)  Tunc  illud  eloquentia%  quod  ubertim  per  omnas  compos  ec- 
clefijc  decuirehat,  ipfo  nictu  liccatum  eft  flumen  ;  atque  dulcedo 
fuavitatis  dulc'.us  propinata,  in  amaritudinem  abfinthii  verfa  efl. 
Viclor  Vit.  de  perfecut.  Vandal.  Lilx  i.  N.  3.  Vibe  etiam  Vitam 
AugulHni,  Lib.  8.  Cap.  1 1.  Seft.  2.  Edit.  Benedid. 

(S)  vSigonius  de  Occidentali  ]n.pero.  Lib.  14  et  15   in  initio. 

(c)  Sigoniur;  ibid.  15  in  fine.  Procop.  de  Bell.  Goth,  Lib.  i. 
Cap.  I. 

(d)  Sigoniii:^  ibid.  Lib.  15.   Ann.  376  ct  479. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  315 

or  three  years  reftored  them  again.  Theodoric  {a)  clianged 
none  of  the  Roman  inftitutes  ;  he  retained  the  ienate,  and  con- 
fuls,and  partricians,  and  all  the  ancient  magiflrates,  and  com- 
mitted thofe  offices  only  10  Romans.  Thef^^  I'gl'its,  we  may 
fuppofe,  fhone  more  faintly  under  the  barbarian  kings  than  under 
Roman  emperors  ;  but  they  v/erc  not  totally  fupprcfled  and  ex- 
tinguifhed,till  after  the  kingdom  of  the  Oftrogoths  was  deftroy- 
ed  by  the  emperor  of  the  eait's  lieutenants,  and  Italy  was  made  a 
province  of  the  eaftern  empire.  Longinus  was  {b)  fent  then  in 
the  year  five  hundred  and  lixty-fix  by  the  emperor  Juftin  II.  to 
govern  Italy  with  abfolute  authority :  and  he  chaiiged  the  whole 
form  of  the  government,  aboliflied  the  fenate,  and  confuls,  and  all 
the  former  magiftrates  in  Rome  and  Italy,  and  in  every  city  of 
note  conftituted  a  new  governor  with  the  title  of  Duke.  He 
himfelf  prefided  over  all ;  and  refiding  at  Ravenna,  and  not  at 
Rome,  he  was  called  the  Exarch  of  Ravenna,  as  were  alfo  his 
fucceflbrs  in  the  fame  office.  Rome  was  degraded  to  the  fame 
level  with  other  places,  and  from  being  the  queen  of  cities  and 
emprefs  of  the  world  was  reduced  to  a  poor  dukedom,  and  made 
tributary  to  Ravenna  which  fhe  had  ufed  to  govern. 

13  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying  through  the 
midft  of  heaven,  faying  with  a  loud  voice.  Woe,  woe,  woe   ' 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  by  reafon  of  the  other  voices 
of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels  which  are  yet  to  found. 

Notice  is  then  proclaimed  by  an  angel  ( ver.  13. )  that  the  three 
other  trumpets  found  to  ftill  greater  and  more  terrible  plagues, 
and  are  therefore  diftinguiftied  from  the  former  by  the  name  of 
woes.  The  defign  of  this  meiTenger  is  to  raife  our  attention  to 
the  following  trumpets i  and  the  following  we  fhall  find  to  be 
more  ftrongly  marked  than  the  foregoing.  The  foregoing  relate 
chiefly  to  the  downfal  of  the  weftern  empire ;  the  two  following 
relate  chiefly  to  the  downfal  of  the  eaflern  empire.  The  forego- 
ing are  defcribed  more  fuccin6tly,  and  contain  a  lefs  compafs  of 
time ;  the  following  are  fet  forth  with  more  particular  circum- 
ftances,  and  are  of  longer  duration  as  well  as  of  larger  defcription. 


{a)  Jam  vero  nullum  Ramanum  inltitutus  mutavit ;  fiquidcm  et 
fenatum,otconfules,  patricius, — cseterofquequi  fuerant  inimpeno, 
magiftratus  retinuit  eofque  Romanis  hominibus  tanium  mandavit^ 
Sigonius  ibid.  Lib.  16.  Ann.  494. 

{^)  Sigonii  Hift.  de  Regno  italir.%  Lib.  i .  ElondiDecad.  primx. 
Lib.  8. 


3i6         DISSERTATIONS    on 

CHAP.     IX. 


■A 


N  D  the  fifth  angel  founded,  and  I  faw  a  ftar  fall 


givcii  the  key  of  the  bottomlefs  pit. 

2  And  he  opened  the  bottomlefs  pit,  and  there  arofe  a 
fmoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  fmoke  of  a  great  furnace : 
and  the  fun  and  the  air  were  darkened,  by  reafon  of  the 
fmoke  of  the  pit. 

3  And  there  came  our  of  the  fmoke  locufls  upon 
the  earth;  and  unto  them  was  given  power,  as  the  fcor- 
pions  of  the  earth  have  power. 

4  And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they  fliould  not 
hurt  the  grafs  of  the  earth,  neither  any  green  thing,  nei- 
ther any  tree;  but  only  thoie  men  which  have  not  the 
feal  of  God  in  their  foreheads. 

5  And  to  them  It  was  given  that  they  (hould  not  kill 
them,  but  that  they  fhould  be  tormented  five  months : 
and  their  torment  ivas  as  the  torment  of  a  fcorpion,  when 
he  ftriketh  a  man. 

6  And  in  thofe  days  (hall  men  feek  death,  and  fhall  not 
find  it ;  and  fhall  defire  to  die,  and  death  (hall  flee  from 
them. 

7  And  the  fhapes  of  the  locufls  were  like  unto  horfes 
prepared  unto  battle;  and  on  their  heads  were  as  it  were 
crowns  like  gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men. 

8  And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their 
teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions.  * 

9  And  they  had  breaft- plates,  as  it  were  breafl-plates 
of  iron;  and  the  found  of  their  wings  was  as  the  found 
of  chariots  of  many  horfes  running  to  battle. 

10  And  they  had  tails  like  unto  fcorpions,  and  there 
were  flings  in  their  tails :  and  their  power  was  to  hurt 
men  five  months. 

11  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  /jthe  angel 
of  the  bottomlefs  pit,  whofe  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue 
is  Aladdon,  but  in  the  Greek  tongue  hath  his  name  A- 
pollyon. 

12  One  woe  is  paft,  and  behold,  there  come  two  woes 
more  hereafter. 


tHE     PROPHECIES. 


217 


At  the  founding  of  the  fifth  trumpet    (ver.  i,  2,  3.)   a  Jlar 
fallen  from  heaven^  meaning  the  wicked  impoitor  Mohammed, 
opened  the  bottomlefs  pit,  and  there  arofe  a  Jmoke  out  of  the  pity 
and  the  fun  and  the  air  were  darkened  by  it ;  that  is,  a  falfe  re- 
ligion was  fet  up,  which  filled  the  world  with  darkncfs  and  er- 
ror;  and  fwarms  of  Saracen  or  Arabian   lociijls  overfpread  the 
earth.      A  falfe  prophet  is  very  fitly  typified  by  a  blazing  Jlar 
or  meteor.     The  Arabians  likewife  are  properly  compared  to 
locujls^  not  only  becaufe  numerous   armies    frequently  are  fo> 
but  alfo   becaufe   iwarms  of  locufts  often  arife  from    Arabia; 
and  alfo  becaufe  in  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  to  which  ccnftant  al- 
lufion  is  made  in  thefe  trumpets,  the  loci{Jis[Y.xoA.  x.  13.)  are 
brought  by  an  ea/l  windy    that   is  from  Arabia,  which  lay  eaft- 
ward  of  Egypt  j  and  alio  becaufe  in  the  book  of  Judges  (vii. 
12.)  the  people  of   Arabia  are  compared  to  locujis  or  grajhop- 
pers  for  multitude^  for  in  the  original,  the  word  for  both  is  the 
fame.     As  the  natural  locufts  {a)  are  bred  in  pits  and  holes  of 
the  earth,  fo  thefe  myftical  locufts  are  truly  infer nal^  and   pro- 
ceed with  the   fmoke  from  the  bottomlefs  pit.     It  is  too  a  re- 
markable coincidence,  that  at   this  time  the  fun   and  the  air 
were  really  darkened.     For  we  learn  from  an  (^)  eminent  Ara- 
bian   hiftorian,    that  "  in  the   feventeenth  year  of  Heraclius 
"  half  the  body  of  the  fun  was  eclipfed,  and  this  defeat  continu- 
"  ed  from  the  former  Tifrin  to  Haziran,  (that  is  from  October 
«  to  June)  fo  that  only  a  little  of  its   light   appeared.*'      The 
feventeenth  year  of  Heraclius  [c)    coincides  with  the  year  of 
Chrift    fix  hundred  and  twenty-fix,  and  with  the  fifth  year  of 
the  Hegira;  and  at  this  time  Mohammed  was  training  andex- 
ercifing  his  followers  in  depredations  at  home,  to  fit  and  prepare 
them  for  greater  conquefts  abroad. 

It  was  commanded  them  (ver.  4.)  that  they  Jhould  not  hurt 
the  grafs  of  the  earthy  neither  any  green  things  neither  any 
tree ;  which  demonftrates  that  thefe  were  not  natural,  but  fym- 
bolical  locufts.  The  like  injunctions  were  given  to  the  Ara- 
bian officers  and  foldiers.  When  Yezid  was  marching  with 
Vol.  II.  E  e 

{a)  Vide  Gefner  de  Infea.  Plin.  Nat.  Hill.  Lib.  11.  Cap.  29. 
Seft.  35.  Edit.  Harduin. 

{h)  Anno  Heraclii  decimo  feptimo  dimidium  corporis  folaris 
lumine  defecit,  manfitque  ejus  deliquium  a  Tifrin  priori  ad  Hazi- 
ran, adeo  ut  nonappareretnifiparumquiddeiumineipfms.  Abul- 
Pharajii  Hift.  Dyn.  8.  P.  99.  Ver.  Pocockii. 

(0  Blair's  Chron.  Tab.  No.  33.  Abul-PharajiiDyn.  9.  P.  102. 
Elmacini  Hift.  Saracen.  Lib.  2.  P.  6. 


2i8  DISSERTATIONS     on 

the  army  to  invade  Syria,  Abubelcer  charged  him  {a}  with  this 
among  other  orders ;  "  Dellroy  no  palm-trees,  nor  burn  any 
"  tieids  of  corn  :  cut  down  no  fruit-trees,  nor  do  any  mifchief 
"  to  cattle,  only  fuch  as  you  kill  to  eat."  Their  commiiTioii 
is  to  hurt  only  thofe  men  vjho  have  not  the  feal  of  God  in  their 
foreheads '-i  tliat  is  thofe  who  are  not  the  true  fervaats  of  God, 
but  are  corrupt  and  idolatrous  Chriftians.  Now  from  hiftory 
it  appears  evidently,  that  in  thofe  countries  of  Afia,  Africa, 
and  Jturope,  where  the  Saracens  extended  their  conquefts,  the 
Chriftians  were  generally  guilty  of  idolatry  in  the  worfhipping 
of  faints,  if  not  of  images;  and  it  was  the  pretence  of  Mo- 
hammed and  his  followers  to  chaftife  them  for  it,  and  to  re- 
eftablifh  the  unity  of  the  God-head.  The  parts  which  remain- 
ed the  freeft  from  the  general  infection  were  Savoy,  Piedmont, 
and  the  fouthern  parts  of  France,  which  were  afterwards  the 
nurferies  and  habitations  of  the  Waldenfes  and  Albigenfes  ; 
and  it  is  very  memorable,  that  {b)  when  the  Saracens  approach- 
ed thefe  parts,  they  were  defeated  with  great  flaughter  by  the 
famous  Charles  Mattel  in  fevcral  engagements. 

As  they  were  to  hurt  only  the  corrupt  and  idolatrous  Chrif- 
tians, fo  thefe  (ver.  5,  6.)  they  were  not  to  kill^  but  only  to 
torment^  and  fhould  bring  fuch  calamities  upon  the  earth,  as 
fhould  make  men  weary  of  their  lives.  Not  that  it  could  be 
fuppofed  that  the  Saracens  would  not  kill  many  thoufands  in 
their  incurlions.  On  the  contrary,  their  angd  (ver.  11.)  hath 
the  name  of  the  dejiroyer.  They  might  kill  them  as  individu- 
als, but  ftill  they  fhould  not  kill  them  as  a  political  body,  as  a 
ftate  or  empire.  They  might  greatly  harrafs  and  torment  both 
the  Greek  and  Latin  churches,  but  they  fhould  not  utterly  ex- 
tirpate the  one  or  the  other.  They  befieged  Conflantinoplc, 
and  {c)  even  plundered  Rome  ;  but  they  could  not  make  them- 
felves  maf}ers  of  either  of  thofe  capital  cities.  The  Greek 
empire  fuffered  mofl  from  them,  as  it  lay  nearefl  to  them. 
They  difmembcred  it  of  Syria,  and  .Egypt,  and  fome  other  of 
its  bcft  and  richeft  provinces;  but  they  were  never  able  to 
fubdue  and  conquer  the  whole.  As  often  as  they  belieged 
Confl:antinople,    they  were  repulfed  and  defeated.      They  at- 


(^)  OckJey'sHill.  of  the  Saracens,   Vol.  I.  P.  25. 
{6)  Petavii  Rationar.  'I'emp.  Part  1.  Lib.  8.  Cap.  5.     Mezeray 
Abregc  Chronol.  A.  D,  732,   ^c. 
{c)  SigoniiHift.de  Regno  Italie,  Lib.  5.  Ann.  846. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


219 


tempted  it  (a)  in  the  reign  of  Conftantine  Pogonatus,  A.  D. 
fix  hundred  and  feventy-two ;  but  their  men  and  fhips  were 
milerably  deilroyed  by  the  fea-fire  invented  by  Callinicus,  and 
after  feven  years  fruitlefs  pains,  they  were  compelled  t©  raife 
the  fiege,  and  to  conclude  a  peace.  They  attempted  it  again 
(^)  in  the  reign  of  Leo  Ifauricus,  A.  D.  feven  hundred  and 
eighteen;  but  they  were  forced  to defift,  by  famine,  and  pefti- 
lence,  and  lofles  of  various  kinds.  In  this  attempt  they  ex- 
ceeded their  commiflion,  and  therefore  they  were  not  crowned 
with  their  ufual  fuccefs.  The  taking  of  this  city,  and  the  put- 
ting an  end  to  this  empire,  was  a  work  referved  for  another 
power,  as  we  fhail  fee  under  the  next  trumpet. 

In  the  following  verfes  (7,  8,  9,  10.)  the  nature  and  qualities 
of  thefe  locufts  are  defcribed,  partly  in  allufion  to  the  properties 
of  natural  locufts,  and  the  defcription  given  of  them  by  the 
prophet  Joel,  to  fhow  that  not  real  but  figurative  locufts 
were  here  intended.  The  iirft  quality  mentioned,  is  their  being 
like  unto  horfes  prepared  unto  battle ;  which  is  copied  from 
Joel,  ii.  4.  "  The  appearance  of  them  is  as  the  appearance  of 
*'  horfes,  and  as  horfemen,  fo  ftiall  they  run."  Many  authors 
have  {c)  obferved  that  the  head  of  a  locuft  refembles  that  of  an 
horfe.  The  Italians  therefore  call  them  cavalette^  as  it  v/ere 
little  horfes.  The  Arabians  too  have  in  all  ages  been  famous 
for  their  horfes  and  horfemanftiip.  Their  ftrength  is  well 
known  to  confift  chiefly  in  their  cavalry. 

Another  diftinguiftiing  mark  and  chara6ler  is  their  having 
on  their  heads  as  it  were  crowns  like  gold;  which  is  an  allufion 
to  the  head-drefs  of  the  Arabians,  [d)  who  have  conftantly 
worn  turbans  or  mitres,  and  boaft  of  having  thofe  ornaments 
for  their  common  attire,  which  are  crowns  and  diadems  with 
other  people.  The  crowns  alfo  fignify  the  kingdoms  and 
dominions   which  they  fliould  acquire.       For,  as  Mr.  Mede 


[a)  Theop.  Cedren.  ad  an.  Conft.  5.  Zonarae  Annales.  Lib.  14. 
Cap.  20,  &c.  Petavii  Rationar,  Temp,  Part.  i.  Lib.  8.  Cap.  i. 
Blair's  Chronol.  Tab.  No.  34.  Part  zd. 

(^)  Sigonii Hif.  de  Regno italiae,  lib.  3 .  An.  718.  Petav.  ibid.  cap. 5. 

(c)  Vide  Albertum.  Aldrovandum,  Theodoretum,  &c.  apud  13och- 
art.Hieroz.  part  poll.  lib.  4.  cap.  5. --caput  aut  faciem  equinxnonab- 
fimelem.  A  qua  locufloe  ab  Itaiis  vocantas  cavalettce,  Col.  474. 

{d)  Arabesmitratidegunt.  Plin.  Nat.Hift.Lib.6.Cap.  28.  Se6t. 
32.  Edit.  Harduin.  Hie  mitra  velatus  Arabs.  Claudian  dc  Laud. 
Stil.  i.  156.  Pocockii  Not.  in  Carm.  Tograi  Arab.  P.  ult. 


220        DISSERTATIONS     gn 

excellently  obferves  (^)  "No  nation  had  ever  fo  wide  a  command, 
«  nor  ever  were  fo  many  kingdoms,  fo  many  regions  fubjugated 
«  in  fo  fhort  a  fpace  of  time.    It  founds  incredible,  yet  moft  true 
«  it  is  ;  that  in  the  fpace  of  eighty  or  not  many  more  years,  they 
"  fubdued  and  acquired  to  the  diabolical  kingdom  of  Mohammed 
*'  PaleiHiie,  Syria,  both  Armenias,  almoft  all  Afia  Minor,  Per- 
"  fia,  India,  Egypt,  Num.idia,  all  Barbary  even  to  the  river  Ni- 
"  ger,  Portugal,  Spain.     Neither  did  their  fortune  or  ambition    ' 
"  ftop  here,  till  they  had  added  alfo  a  great  part  of  Italy,  as  fair 
"  as  to  the  gates  of  Rome  ;  moreover,  Sicily,  Candia,  Cyprus, 
<*  and  the  other  idands  of  the  Mediterranean  fea.    Good  God  ! 
"  how  great  a  tra(5l  of  land  !   how  many  crotvns  were  here ! 
"  Whence  alfo  it  is  worthy  of  obfervation,  that  mention  is  not 
*'  made  here,  as  in  other  trumpets,  of  the  third  part ;  forafmuch 
''  as  this  plague  fell  no  lefs  without  the  bounds  of  the   Roman 
*'  empire  than  within  it,  and  extended  itfelf  even  to  the  Indies.'* 
They  had  alfo  faces  as  the  faces  of  men^  and  hair  as  the  hair 
of  women  :     And  the  Arabians  wore  their  beards,  or  at  leaft 
muftachoes  as  men  ;  while  the  hair  of  their  heads  was  flowing 
or  plaited  like  that  of  women;  as  {h)  Pliny  and  other  ancient 

[a)  NuUi  unquam  genti  tarn  late  regnatum  fuit,  neque  tarn  brevi 
temporis  fpatio  unquam  tot  tegna,  tot  regiones,  fub  jugum  miffa  In- 
credibile  diclu.  verilTimum  tamen  eft  ;  Oftoginta,  aut  non  multo  plu- 
xiam,  annorum  fpatio  fubjugaruntill  et  diabolico  regno  Mohamme- 
dis  acquifiverunt  Palaeftinam,  Syriam,  Armeniam  utramque,  totam 
ferme  Afiam  minorem,  Perfiam,  Indiam,  ^gyptum,  Numidiam,  Bar- 
bariam  totam  ad  Nigrum  ufque  fluvium,  Lufitaniam,  Hifpaniam. 
Neque  hie  ftetit  illorum  fortuna,  aut  ambitio,  donee  et Italias  magnam 
quoque  partem  adjecerint,  adportas  ufque  urbis  Romae;  quinetiam 
Siciliam,  Candiam,  Cyprum,  et  reliquas  maris  Mediterranei  infulas. 
Deus  bone,  quantus  hie  terrarum  tradtus !  quot  hie  coronoe !  Unde 
dignum  quoque  obfervatu  eft,  non  hie,  ut  in  cseteris  tubis,  trientis 
mentionem  fieri  :  fiquidem  non  minus  extra  imperii  Romani  fines 
quam  intra  ipfum  caederet  haec  clades,  ad  extremos  ufque  Indos  fe- 
fe  porredurai  Mede  P.  468. 

{b)  Arabes  mitrati  degunt,  aut  intonfo  crine  :  barba  abraditur 
praeterquaminfuperiorelabro.  Aliis  ethasc  iiitonfa.  Plin.  ibid.2lu- 
rimis  crinis  intonfus,  mitrata  capita,  pars  rafaincutem  barba.  Soli- 
nus  Cap.  33.  P.  46.  Edit.  Salmafii.  Crinitus  quidam,  &c.  Ammian. 
Marcell.  Lib.  31.  ubi  notat  Valefius,  Talis  erat  habitus  Saraceno- 
rum,  ut  docet  Hieronymus  in  Vita  Malchi,  ecce  fubito  equorum  ca- 
melorumque  feffores  Ifmaelitae  irruunt,  crinitis  vittatifque  capiti- 
bus,  &c  0  et  Theodorus  iMopfueftenus  in  caput  x  Hieremiae,  Sara- 
cenos  ait  comam  a  fronte  quidem  detondcre,  retro  autem  intonfam 
flemittere,  &c.  P.  654.  Edit.  Paris,  1681. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


221 


authors  teftify.  Another  property,  copied  from  Joel,  is  their 
having  teeth  as  the  teeth  of  lions ;  that  is,  ftrong  to  devour.  So 
Joel  defcribes  the  locufts,  i.  6.  "  a  nation,  whole  teeth  are  as  the 
''  teeth  of  a  lion,  and  he  hath  the  cheek-teeth  of  a  great 
"  lion  :"  and  it  is  wonderful  hov/  they  bite  and  gnaw  all  things, 
as  {a)  Pliny  fays,  even  the  doors  of  houfes.  They  had  alfo 
breaji-plates^  as  it  were  breaji-plates  of  iron  :  and  the  loculh 
have  a  hard  (hell  or  fkin,  which  {l)  hath. been  called  their  ar- 
mour. This  figure  is  defigned  toexprefs  the  dufenfive,  as  the 
former  was  the  offenfive  arms  of  the  Saracens.  And  the  found 
of  their  wings  was  as  the  found  of  chariots  of  inany  horfes  run- 
ning to  battle.  Much  the  fame  comparifon  had  been  ufed  by 
Joel,  ii.  5.  "  Like  the  noife  of  chariots  on  the  tops  of  moun- 
"  tains  Ihall  they  leap."  And  {c)  Pliny  affirms  that  they  fly 
with  fo  great  a  noife  of  their  wings,  that  they  may  be  taken  for 
birds.  Their  w/w^j,  2ii\d  the  fou?id  of  their  wings^  denote  the 
fwiftnefs  and  rapidity  of  their  conquefts  ;  and  it  is  indeed  afto- 
nifliing,  that  in  lefs  than  a  century  they  erecled  an  empire, 
which  is  extended  from  India  to  Spain. 

Moreover,  they  are  thrice  compared  unto  fcorpions^  (ver.  3. 
5,  10.)  and  had Jiingsjn  their  tails  like  unto  jcorpions  ;  that  is, 
they  fhould  draw  a  poifonoiis  train  after  them,  and  wherever 
they  carried  their  arms,  there  alfo  they  lliould  diftil  the  venom 
of  a  falfe  religion.  It  is  farther  added,  (ver.  11.)  that  they 
had  a  king  over  them  ;  the  fame  perfon  Ihould  exercife  tempo- 
ral as  well  as  fpiritual  fovereignty  over  them  ;  and  the  caliphs 
were  their  emperors,  as  well  as  the  heads  of  their  religion. 
The  king  is  the  fame  as  the  Jiar  or  angel  of  the  bottomlefs  pit^ 
whofe  name  is  Abaddon  in  Hebrew,  and  Apollyon  in  Greek, 
that  is,  the  defiroyer.  xMr.  Mede  [d]  imagines,  that  this  is  fome 
allufion  to  the  name  of  Obodas^  the  common  name  of  the  kings 
of  that  part  of  Arabia  from  whence  Mohammed  came,  as  Pha^ 
roah  was  the  common  name  of  the  kings  of  Egvpt,  and  Ccefar 
of  the  emperors  of  Rome :  and  fuch  ailufions  are  not  unufual 
inthe  ftileof  fcripture.       However  that  be,    the  name  agrees 

{a)  Omnia  vero  morfu,  erodentes,    et  fores  quoque  tedoriiTn. 
Plin.  Nat.  Hill.  Lib.  11.  Cap.  29,  Sed.  35.  Edit.  Harduin. 
•'    (^)   Claudian.  Epigram.  32.     De  Loculhi :  Fragmentum. 

cognatus  dorfo  durefcit  amiclub. 

Armavit  natura  cutem. 
(f)  Tanto  volant  pennarum  flridore,  ut  aliai  allies  credantur. 
Plin.  ibid. 

(./)  Mede,  ibid.  P.  470. 


11%        DISSERTATIONS    on 

perfedly  well  with  Mohammed,  and  the  caliphs  his  fucceflbrs, 
who  were  the  authors  of  all  thofe  horrid  wars  and  defolations, 
and  openly  taught  and  profefTed  that  their  religion  was  to  be 
propagated  and  eflablifhed  by  the  fword. 

One  difficulty,  and  the  greateft  of  all,  remains  yet  to  be  ex- 
plained j  and  that  is  the  period  o^  Jive  months  afligned  to  thefe 
loculls,  which  being  twice  mentioned,  merits  the  more  particu- 
lar confideration.  They  tormented  ?nen  five  months^  (ver.  5.) 
And  again,  (ver.  10.)  their  power  was  to  hurt  men  five  months. 
It  is  faid  without  doubt  in  conformity  to  the  type;  for  locufts 
{a)  are  obferved  to  live  aboutyz-t;^  months^  that  is,  from  April 
to  September.  Scorpions  too,  as  [b)  Bochart  aflerts,  are  nox- 
ious for  no  longer  a  term,  the  cold  rendering  them  torpid  and 
inactive.  But  of  thefe  locufts  it  is  faid,  not  that  their  duration 
or  exiftence  was  only  {or  five  months^  but  t\\Q\Y  power  of  hurting 
and  tormenting  men  continued  five .  months.  Now  thefe  months 
may  either  be  months  commonly  fo  taken;  or  prophetic 
months,  confifting  each  of  thirty  days,  as  St.  John  reckons 
them,  and  fo  making  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  at  the  rate  of 
each  day  for  a  year;  or  the  number  being  repeated  twice,  the 
fiims  may  be  thought  to  be  doubled,  and  five  months  and  fivei 
months^  in  prophetic  computation,  will  amount  to  300  years. 
If  thefe  months  be  takeii  for  common  months,  then,  as  the 
natural  locufts  live  and  do  hurt  only  in  five  fummer-months, 
fo  the  baracens,  in  five  fummer-months  too,  made  their 
excurfions,  and  retreated  again  in  the  winter.  It  appears  that 
this  was  their  ufual  practice,  and  particularly  when  {c)  they 

{a)  Vi  giliarum  exortu  parere,  [Circa  Maii  Nonas]  deinde  ad 
Canis  ortum  obire,  [Circa  xv.  Calendas  Augufti]  et  alias  renafci. 
PJin.  Nat.  Hill:.  Lib.  11.  Cap.  29.  Sed.  35.  Edit.  Hard.  Locuftae 
vere  nerai  fub  finem  reftatis  obeunt,  nee  lupraqainque  menfes  vi- 
vere  folent.  Bochart.  Hireroz.  Part  Foil.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  8.  Col.  495. 

(<^)  Nee  frullraelt,  quodmyfiicas  locuftis,  quas  fcorpionum  cau- 
dashabent,  non  datur  poteilas  nocendi  honiinibus,  nifi  per  menfes 
quinque  Quippe  ut  locuitaj,  ita  nee  fcorpiones  diutius  nocent.  Nam 
per  fj  igora  torpent,  nee  quidquam  ab  iis  eft  pcriculi.  Bochart. 
ibid.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  29.  Col.  640. 

\c)  Howci's  Hift.  of  the  World,  Part  3.  Cliap.  4.  Seft.  7.  P.  288. 
—-ab  Aprili  ufque  ad  Septembrem  mcnlcm.  Inafe  barbari  rever- 
tantes  Cyzicum  occupaverunt,  atque  ibi  hyemarunt:  et  vere  rur- 
fum  Chrillianis  bcllum  fecerunt.  Hoc  modo  feptem  annos  fe  gQ{^ 
fere.  Cedreni  Hilt.  Compend.  P.  437.  Edit.  Paris.  P.  345.  Edit. 
Venct.  Vide  etiam  Theophanis  Chronograth.  P.  264.  Edit.  Paris. 
P.  234.  Edit.  Venet. 


THE    PROPHECIES  223 

iirft  befieged  Coiillantlnople,  in  the  time  of  Conftantine  Pogo- 
natus.  For,  '^  i'lo.a  Jie  month  of  April  till  September,  they 
"  pertinaciouHy  continued  their  fiege,  and  then  dcfpairing  of 
"  luccefs,  departed  to  Cyzicuni,  where  they  wintered,  and  In 
"  fpring  again  renewed  the  war:  and  this  courfe  they  held  tor 
*'  feven  years,  as  the  Greek  annals  tell  us."  If  th-le  months 
be  taken  for  prophetic  months,  or  one  hundred  and  fifty  ytars, 
it  was  within  that  fpace  of  time  that  the  Saracens  made  their 
principal  conquefts.  Their  empire  might  fublift  much  longer, 
but  their  power  of  hurting  and  tormenting  men  was  exerted 
chiefly  within  that  period.  Read  the  hiftory  of  the  Saracens, 
and  you  will  find  that  their  greateft  exploits  were  performed, 
their  greateft  conquefts  were  made,  between  the  (a)  year  fix 
hundred  and  twelve,  when  Mohammed  firft  opened  the  bottomlefs 
pii-i  and  began  publicly  to  teach  and  propagate  his  impofture, 
and  the  year  kv^w  hundred  and  fixty-two,  when  the  caliph 
Almanfor  built  Bagdad,  to  fix  there  the  feat  of  his  empire,  and 
called  it  the  city  of  peace.  Syria,  Perfia,  India,  and  the  greateft 
part  of  Afia;  -t^gypt,  and  the  greateft  part  of  Africa;  Spain, 
and  fome  parts  of  Europe,  were  ail  fubdued  in  the  intermediate 
time.  But  when  the  caliphs,  who  before  had  removed  from 
place  to  place,  fixed  their  habitation  at  Bagdad,  then  the  Sara- 
cens ceafed  from  their  excurfions  and  ravages  like  locufts,  and 
became  a  fettled  nation ;  then  they  made  no  more  fuch  rapid 
and  amazing  conquefts  as  before,  but  only  engaged  in  common 
and  ordinary'  wars  like  other  nations ;  then  their  power  and 
glory  began  to  decline,  and  their  empire  by  little  and  little  to 
moulder  away;  then  they  had  no  longer,  like  the  prophetic 
locufts,  one  king  over  them^  Spain  {b)  having  revolted  in  the 
year  {^v&n  hundred  and  fifty-fix,  and  fet  up  another  caliph  in 
oppofition  to  the  reigning  houfe  of  Abbas.  \{  thefe  months  be 
taken  doublv,  or  for  three  hundred  years,  then  according  to  [c) 
Sir  Ifaac  Newton,  "  the  whole  time  that  the  caliphs  of  the 
"  Saracens  reigned  with  a  temporal  dominion  at  Damafcus 


{a)  Prideaux's  Life  of  Mahomet.  P.  14.  Edit.  Elmacini  Hill. 
Saracen.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  1.  P.  3.  at  Lib.  2.  Cap.  3.  P.  102.  Abul-Pha- 
rajiiHift.  Dyn.  9.  141.  Verf.  Pocockii.  Blair's  Chronol.  Tab. 
No.  36.  Part  2d. 

{b)  Elmacini  Hift.  Saracen.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  3.  P.  loi.  Blairibid. 

\c)  Sir  Ifaac  Newton  on  the  Apoc.  Chap.  3.  P.  305.  Sec  like- 
wife  P.  91.  of  Mr.  Jackfon's  Addrefs  to  the  Deilh  :  wherem  are 
fome  pertinent  obfervations  concerning  the  compledonof  tiiii  and 
the  fucceeding  Woe. 


224        DISSERTATIONS     on 

«  and  Ba2:dad  together,  was  three  hundred  years,  viz.  from  the 
*  year  fix  hundred  and  thirty  feven,  to  the  year  nine  hundred 
"  and  thirty-fix  inclufive  :"  when  {a)  their  empires  was  broken 
and  divided  into  feveral  principalities  or  kingdoms.  So  that 
let  ihd^fve  months  be  taken  in  any  poflible  conftru6tion,  the 
event  will  ilill  anfwer,  and  the  phophecy  will  ftill  be  fulfilled ; 
though  the  fecond  method  of  interpretation  and  application 
appears  much  more  probable  than  either  the  firft  or  third. 

in  the  conclufion  it  is  added,  (ver.  I2.)  Onetooe  is  paj}^  and 
behold  there  come  ttuo  woes  more  hereafter.  This  is  added  not 
only  todiilinguifli  the  woes,  and  to  mark  more  ftrongly  each 
period,  but  alfo  to  fuggeft  that  fomc  time  will  intervene  between 
this  firil  woe  of  the  Arabian  locufts,  and  the  next  of  the  Eu- 
phratean  horfemen. 

The  fimilitude  between  the  locufts  and  Arabians  is  indeed 
fo  great  that  it  cannot  fail  of  ftriking  every  curious  obferver: 
and  a  farther  refemblance  \i  [h)  noted  by  Mr.  Daubuz,  that 
"  there  hath  happened  in  the  extent  of  this  torment  a  coinci- 
^'  dence  of  the  event  with  the  nature  of  the  locufts.  The  Sa- 
«  racens  have  made  inroads  into  all  thofe  parts  of  Chriftendom 
"  where  the  natural  locufts  are  wont  to  be  feen  and  known  to 
"  do  mifchief,  and  no  where  elfe :  And  that  too  in  the  fame 
"  proportion.  Where  the  locufts  are  feldom  feen,  there  the 
"  Saracens  ftayed  little :  where  the  natural  locufts  are  often 
"  feen,  there  the  Saracens  abode  moft ;  and  where  they  breed 
"  moft,  there  the  Saracens  had  their  beginning  and  greateft 
«  power.     This  maybe  eafily  verified  by  hiftory." 

13  And  the  ftxth  angel  founded,  and  I  heard  a  voice 
from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar,  which  is  before 
God, 

14  Saying  to  the  ftxth  angel  which  had  the  trumpet, 
Looie  the  four  angels  which  are  bound  in  the  great  river 
Euphrates. 

15  And  the  four  angels  v/ere  loofed,  which  were  pre- 
pared for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  month,  and  a  year, 
for  to  fiay  the  third  part  of  men. 

16  And  the  number  of  the  army  of  the  horfemen  were 
two  hundred  thoufand  thoufand :  and  I  heard  the  num- 
ber of  them. 


(^)  Elmacin.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  i.  P.  203.  Blair's  Tab.  No.  39. 
\j})  Daubuz.  P.  409. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  225 

17  And  thus  I  faw  the  horfes  in  the  vifion,  and  them 
that  fet  on  them,  having  breaft-plates  of  fire,  and  of  jacindt 
and  brimftone :  and  the  heads  of  the  horfes  were  as  the 
heads  of  lions ;  and  out  of  their  mouths  ifTued  fire,  and 
fmoke,  and  brimftone. 

18  By  thefe  three  was  the  third  part  of  man  killed,  by 
the  fire,  and  by  the  fmoke,  and  by  the  brimftone,  which 
iffued  out  of  their  mouths. 

19  For  their  power  is  in  their  mouth,  and  in  their 
tails  :  for  their  tails  were  like  unto  ferpents,  and  had  heads, 
and  with  them  they  do  hurt. 

20  And  the  reft  of  the  men  which  were  not  killed  by 
thefe  plagues,  yet  repented  not  of  the  works  of  their  hands, 
that  they  ftiould  not  worfliip  devils,  and  idols  of  gold,  and 
filver,  and  brafs,  and  ftone,  and  of  wood:  which  neither 
can  fee,  nor  hear,  nor  walk ; 

21  Neither  repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of 
their  forceries,  nor  of  their  fornication,  nor  of  their 
thefts. 

At  the  founding  of  the  fixth  trumpet  (ver.  13,  I4j  I5-)  ^ 
voice  proceeded  from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar^  (for  the 
fcene  was  ftill  in  the  temple)  ordering  the  angel  of  the  fixth 
trumpet  to  loofe  the  four  angels  which  luere  hound  in  the  great 
river  Euphrates  ;  and  they  were  loofed  accordingly.     Such  a 
voice  proceeding  from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar  is  3. 
itrong  indication  of  the  divine  dlfpleafure ;   and  plainly  mti- 
matefthat  the  fins  of  men  muft  have  been  very  great,  when  the 
altar,  which  was  their  fanftuary  and  protedion,  called  aloud  for 
veno-eance.     The  four  angels  are  the  four  fultanics  or  four  lea^ 
ders'^of  the  Turks  and  Othmans.     For  there  were  four  prmci- 
pal  faltanies  or  kingdoms  of  the  Turks,  bordering  upon  the 
river  Euphrates:  [a)  one  at  Bagdad  founded  by  Togrul  Beg, 
or  Tanarolipix,    as  he  is  more  ufually  called,  in  the  year  one 
thoufand  and  fifty-five:    another    at    Damafcus    foundea    by 
TafTJuddaulas  or  Ducas  in  the  year  one  thoufand  and  ieventy- 
nini:  a  third  at  Aleppo  founded  by  Sjarfuddaulas  or  MelecK 
in  the   fame  year  one  thoufand  and  feventy-nine :   and   the 
Vol    II.  F  f 


(«)ElmaciniHitl.  Saracen.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  7  et  8.  P.  271^^  284. 
Edit.Erpanii  Heylin's  Cofm.  B.  3.  P-  7^6.  Ed^t.  1703-  ^tr^dua. 
to  the  Hift.  of  Afia.  Chap,  u-  Se^.  2  et  3.  San^lys  s  Travel..  B. 
I,  P.  34..  7th  Edit. 


226        DISSERTATIONS     on 

fourth  at  Iconium  in  Afia  Minor  founded  by  Sedyduddaulas  or 
Cutlu  Mules,  or  his  fon,  in  the  year  one  thoufand  and  eighty. 
Thefe  four  iultanies  fubfiiled  feveral  years  afterwards  ;  and  the 
fultans  were  bound  and  retrained  from  extending  their  con- 
quers far:her  than  the  territories  and  countries  adjoining  to 
the  river  Euphrates,  primarily  by  the  good  providence  pf  God, 
and  fecondarily  by  the  croifades  or  expeditions  of  the  Euro- 
pean Chriflians  into  the  holy  land  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
eleventh,  and  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries.  Nay  the 
Europ^-an  Chriftjans  took  feveral  cities  and  countries  from 
them,  and  confined  them  within  narrower  bounds.  But  when 
an  end  was  put  to  the  croifades,  and  the  Chriftians  totally  a- 
bandoned  their  conquefts  in  Syria  and  Paleftine,  as  they  did 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  thirteenth  century ;  then  the  four  an- 
gels on  the  river  Euphrates  were  loofed.  Soliman  Shah  {a)  the 
firft  chief  and  founder  of  the  Oaiman  race,  retreating  with  his 
three  fons  from  Jingiz  Chan  and  the  Tartars,  would  have 
pafTedthe  river  Euphrates,  but  was  unfortunately  drowned,  the 
time  of  loofing  the  four  angels  being  not  yet  come.  Difcou- 
raged  at  this  fad  accident,  two  of  his  fons  returned  to  their  for- 
mer habitations  :  but  Ortogrul  the  third,  with  his  three  fons 
Condoz,  Sarubani,  and  Othman,  remained  fome  time  in  thofe 
parts,  and  having  obtained  leave  of  AUadin  the  fultan  of  Ico- 
nium,  he  came  with  four  hundred  of  his  Turks,  and  fettled  in 
the  mountains  of  Armenial  From  thence  they  began  their  ex- 
curfions  ;  and  the  other  Turks  alTociating  with  them,  and  fol- 
lowing their  ftandard,  they  gained  feveral  victories  over  the  Tar- 
tars on  one  fide,  and  over  the  Chriftians  on  the  other.  Ortogrul 
{b)  dying  in  the  year  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight,  Othman  his  fon  fucceeded  him  in  power  and  authority ; 
and  in  the  year  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  ninety-nine,  as 
fome  fay  with  the  confent  of  Aladin  himfelf,  he  was  proclaim- 
ed fultan,  and  founded  a  new  empire ;  and  the  people  after- 
wards, as  well  as  the  new  empire,  were  called  by  his  name.  For 
though  they  difclaim  the  name  of  Turks^  and  afTume  that  of 
Othmans^  yet  nothing  is  more  certain,  than  that  they  are  a 
mix"  multitude,  the  remains  of  the  four  fultanies  above-men- 
tioned, as  well  the  defcendents  particularly  of  the  houfe  of 
Othman. 


{a)  Pocockii  Supplem.  Abul-Pharaj.  Hifl.  P.  41,  42.  Herbelot. 
Bib.  Orient.  P.  622,  694,  &c. 

{b)  Pocock.  ibid.  Herbelot.  P.  694,  697. 


1-  H  E   P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  227 

In  this  manner,  and  at  this  time,  the  four  angels  were  loofed^ 
which  were  prepared  for  an  hour^  and  a  day^  and  a  month^  and 
a  year^  for  to  flay  the  third  part  of  men^  that  is  as  before,  the 
men  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  efpecially  in  Europe,  the  third 
part  of  the  world.  The  Latin,  or  weftern  empire,  was  broken 
to  pieces  under  the  four  firit  trumpets  j  the  Greek,  or  eailern 
empire,  was  cruelly  hurt  and  tormented  under  the  fifth  trumpet; 
and  here  under  the  fixth  trumpet,  it  is  to  hn  fla'in^  and  utterly 
deftroyed.  Accordingly  all  Afia  Minor,  Syria,  Palelline, 
Egypt,  Thrace  Macedon,  Greece,  and  all  the  countries,  which 
formerly  belonged  to  the  Greek  or  eaftern  Caefars,  the  Oth- 
mans  have  conquered,  and  fubjugated  to  their  dominion. 
They  firft  [a)  pafled  over  Into  Europe,  in  the  reign  of  Orchan 
their  fecond  emperor,  and  in  the  year  one  thoufand  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty-feven  j  they  (/>)  tpok  Conifantinople,  in  the  reign 
of  Mohammed,  their  feventh  emperor,  and  in  the  year  one 
thoufand  four  hundred  ai^d  fifty-three.;  and  in  time  all  the 
remaining  parts  of  the  Greek  empire  fliared  the  fate  of  the 
capital  city.  The  lall  of  their  conquells  were  [c)  Candia  or  the 
ancient  Crete  in  one  thoufand  fix  hundred  and  fixty-nine,  and 
Cameniec  in  one  thoufand  fix  hundred  and  feventy-two.  For 
the  execution  of  this  great  work  it  is  faid  that  they  were  pre^ 
pared  for  an  hour^  a?id  a  day^  and  a  months  and  a  year  \  which 
will  admit  either  of  a  literal  or  a  myftical  interpretation;  and 
the  former  will  hold  good,  if  the  latter  fhould  fail.  If  it  be 
taken  literally,  it  is  only  exprefling  the  fame  thing  by  different 
words,  as  peoples  and  multitudes  and  nations  and  tongues  arc 
jointly  ufed  in  other  places  :  and  then  the  meaning  is  that  they 
were  prepared  and  ready  to  execute  the  divine  commillion  at 
any  time  or  for  any  time,  any  hour^  or  day^  or  months  or  year^ 
that  God  fhould  appoint.  If  it  be  taken  myflically,  and  the 
hour^  and  day^  and  months  and  year  be  a  prophetic  hour^  and 
day^  and  months  :xi\^  year ^  then  2iyear  (according  to  St.  John's, 
who  follows  herein  Daniel's  computation)  conlifting  of  three 
hundred  and  fixty  days   is  three  hundred  and  fixty  years,  and 

(^)  Pocockii  Supplem.  P.  43.  Herbelot.  P.  693.  A.  H.  758. 
caspit Decern.  25.   1356.  Pocockii  Index. 

{b)  Launciav.  Pandecl.  Hift.  Turc.  Cap.  129. P.  44.8.  Edit.  Paris. 
P.  339.  Edit.  Venet.  Pccock.ibid.  P.  47.  Herbclct.  P.6i5.Pnncc 
Cantemir's  Hift.  of  the  Othman  empire.  B.  3.  Chap.  i.  Sed.  9.  P. 
103. Savage's  Adridgmentof  Knolles  and  Ps.ycaut.  Vol. I.  P. 1 8o,&c. 

(r;  Prince  Cantemir,  B.  3.  Chap.  12.  Se6"l.  8.  P.  262.  ScC^.  16. 
P.  65.  Savag.e.  ibid.  Vol.  II.  P.  192,  et  200. 


228        DISSERTATIONS    on 

a  month  confifting  of  thirty  days  is  thirty  years,  and  a  day 
is  a  year,  and  un  hour  in  the  fame  proportion  is  fifteen  days ; 
fo  that  the  whole  period  of  the  Othmans  flaying  the  third  part 
ofmen^  or  fubduing  the  Chriftian  ftates  in  the  Greek  or  Roman 
empire,  amounts  to  three  hundred  and  ninety-one  years  and 
fifteen  days.  Now  it  is  wonderfully  remarkable,  that  the  firft 
conqueft  mentioned  in  hiftory,  of  the  Othmans  over  the  Ghrif- 
tians,  was  {a)  in  the  year  of  the  Hegira  fix  hundred  and  eigh- 
ty, and  the  year  of  Chrift  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
one.  For  Ortogrul  "  in  that  year  (according  to  the  accurate 
"  hiftorian  Saadi)  crowned  his  vidlories  with  the  conqueft  of 
"  the  famous  city  of  Kutahi  from  the  Greeks."  Compute  three 
hundr^-d  and  ninety-one  years  from  that  time,  and  they  will 
terminate  in  th^  year  one  thoufand  fix  hundred  feventy-two : 
and  in  that  year,  as  it  v/as  hinted  before,  Mohammed  the  fourth 
(b)  took  Cameniec  from  the  Poles,  "  and  forty-eight  towns 
"  and  villages  in  the  territory  of  Cameniec  were  delivered 
"  up"  to  the  fujtan  upon  the  treaty  of  peace.  Whereupon 
Prince  Cantemir  hath  made  this  memorable  refle(5tion,  "  This 
''  was  the  laft  vi£i:ory  by  which  any  advantages  accrued  to  the 
"  Othman  ftate,  or  any  city  or  province  was  annexed  to  the 
"  ancient  bounds  of  the  empire."  Agreeably  to  v/hich  obferva- 
tion,  he  hath  entitled  the  former  part  of  his  hiftory  of  the 
growth  of  the  Othman  e?npire^  and  the  following  part  of  the  de- 
cay  of  the  Othman  empire.  Other  wars  and  flaughters,  as  he 
fays,  have  enfued.  The  Turks  even  befieged  Vienna  in  one 
thoufand  fix  hundred  and  eighty  three;  but  this  exceeding  the 
bounds  of  their  commiffion,  they  were  defeated.  Belgrade  and 
other  places  may  have  been  taken  from  them,  and  furrendered 
to  them  again  :  but  ft  ill  they  have  fubdued  no  new  ftate  or  po- 
tentate of  Chriftendom  now  for  the  fpace  of  between  eighty 
and  ninety  years  ;  and  in  all  probability  they  never  may  again, 
their  empire  appearing  rather  to  decreafe  than  increafe.  Here 
then  the  prophecy  and  the  event  agree  exa6i:ly  in  the  period  of 
three  hundred  and  ninety-one  years  ;  and  if  more  accurate  and 
authentic  hiftories  of  the  Othmans  were  brought  to  light,  and 
we  knew  the  very  day  Vv^herein  Kutahi  was  taken  as  certainly 
as  we  knov/  tli^t  wherein  Cameniec  was  taken,  the  like  exacfc- 
nefs  might  alfo  be  found  in  the  fifteen  days.     But  though  the 


(fl)  Prince  Cantcmir's  Hift.  B.  i.  Chap.  2.  Sedt.  5.  P.  10. 

[ht)  Prince  Cantemir's  Hift.  B.  3.  Chap.  12.  Se6l.  18,  rp.  p.  265. 


thePROPHECIES. 


229 


time  be  limited  for  theOthmTiiVs /I.^ying  the  third  part  of  m.viy 
yet  no  time  is  fixed  for  the  duration  of  their  empire  ;  only  this 
fecond  woe  will  end,  when  the  third  woe,  (xi.  14.)  or  the  de- 
ftruition  of  the  bealt,  fh>ill  be  at  hand. 

A  defcription  is  then  given  (ver.  16,  17,  18,  19.)  of  the  forces, 
and  of  the  means  and  inftruments,  by  which  the  Othmans  fhould 
effe6l  the  ruin  of  the  eaftern  empire.  Their  armies  are  defcrib- 
ed  as  very  numerous,  myriads  of  myriads  ;  and  who  knoweth 
not  what  mighty  armies  the  Othman  emperors  have  brought 
into  the  field  ?  When  Mohammed  the  fecond  befieged  Con- 
ftantinople,  he  had  {a)  about  four  hundred  thoufand  men  in  his 
army,  befides  a  powerful  fleet  of  thirty  larger  and  two  hundred 
lefl'er  fhips.  They  are  defcribed  too  chiefly  as  horfemen  j  and 
fo  they  are  defcribed  both  by  Ezekiel  and  Daniel,  as  there 
v/as  occafion  to  obferve  in  the  lafl:  difl^ertation  upon  Daniel  : 
and  it  is  well  known,  that  their  armies  confifl:ed  chiefly  of  ca- 
valry, efpecially  before  the  order  of  Janizaries  was  infl:ituted  bv 
Amurath  the  firft.  The  Janizaries  may  be  the  guard  of  the 
court,  but  the  Timariots,  or  horfemen  holding  lands  by  ferv- 
ing  in  the  wars,  are  the  ftrengthof  the  government :  and  thefe> 
as  Heylin  {b)  afiirms,  are  in  all  accounted  between  feven  and 
eight  hundred  thoufand  fighting  men ;  fome  fay  they  are  a 
million ;  and  befides  thefe,  there  are  Spahi's  and  other  horfe- 
men in  the  emperor's  pay. 

In  the  vifton^  that  is  in  appearance,  and  not  in  reality,  they 
had  breaji-plates  of  fire^  and  of  jacin^  or  hy^idnth,  and  brim- 
Jione.  The  colour  of  fire  is  red,  of  hyacinth  blue,  and  of  brim^ 
Jlone  yellow:  and  this,  as  Mr.  Daubuz  (r)  obferves,  "  hath  a 
"  literal  accomplifhment ;  for  the  Othmans,  from  the  firft 
"  time  of  their  appearance,  have  afl^e(Sted  to  wear  fuch  warlike 
"  apparel  of  fcarlet,  blue,  and  yellow."  Of  the  Spahi's  parti- 
cularly fome  have  red,  and  fome  have  yellow  Handards,  and 
others  red  or  yellow  mixt  with  other  colours.  In  appearance 
too  the  heads  of  the  horfes  were  as  the  heads  of  lions^  to  denote 
their  ftrength,  courage,  and  fiercenefs  ;  and  out  of  their  fnouths 

{a)  Quadraginta  myriades  hominum  dicunter  tunc  teinpores  in 
exercitu  regis  fuifle — claflis  rcgire,  in  qua  crant  triremes  triginta, 
naves  minores  ducentre.  Laonicus  Chalcocondylas  de  rebus  Tur- 
cicis.  Lib.. 8.  P.  203.  Edit.  Paris.  P.  158.  Edit.  Venet. 

{b)  Heylin's  Cofm.  E.  3.  P.  729.  Edit.  1703.  Sandy's  Travels. 
B.  i.P.  38.  7th  Edit. 

(f)  Daubu?:.  P.  444.  See  too  Rycaut'sPrefent  State  of  the  Othman 
Empire, B.3.Chap.  3. Toanefort's  Voyage,  Vol.  JI.  Let.  i.p.36,  &c. 


230         D  I  S  S  P:  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S,   o  N 

iJTued  Jire^  andjmoke^  and  brimjione.  A  manifeft  allufion  to 
great  guns  and  gun-powder,  which  were  invented  under  this 
trumpet,  and  were  oF  fuch  iignal  fervice  to  the  Othmans  in  their 
wars.  P'or  hy  thefe  three  ivas  the  third  part  of  men  killed-^  by 
t\ide  the  Othmans  made  fuch  havoc  and  deflrudtion  in  the 
Greek  oreailern  empire.  Amurath  the  fecoud  [a)  broke  into 
Peloponnefus,  and  took  fcveral  ftrong  places  by  the  means  of 
his  artillery.  But  his  fon  Mohammed  at  the  fiege  of  Conftan- 
tinople  (i^)  employed  I'uch  great  guns,  as  were  never  made  be- 
£om-  One  is  defcribed  to  have  been  of  fuch  a  monftrous  fize, 
that  it  was  drawn  by  fiventy  yoke  of  oxen  and  by  two  thou- 
land  mta.  There  were  two  more,  each  of  which  difcharged 
^  {tons  of  the  weight  of  tv.^o  talents.  Others  emitted  a  ftone 
of  the  weight  of  half  a  talent.  But  the  greateii  of  ail  difchar- 
ged a  ball  of  the  weight  of  three  talents,  or  about  three  hundred 
pounds  ;  and  the  report  of  this  cannon  is  faid  to  have  been  fo 
great,  that  all  the  countiy  round  about  v^as  fhaken  to  the  dif- 
tance  o^  forty  furlongs.  For  forty  days  the  wail  was  battered 
by  tiiefe  guns,  and  fo  many  breaches  were  made,  that  the  city 
Vt^as  taken  by  ailault,  and  an  end  put  to  the  Grecian  empire. 

Moreover  they  had  power  to  do  hurt  by  their  tails-,  as  well,  as 
hy  their  mouths^  their  tails  being  like  unto  ferpents-,  and  having 
keads.  In  this  refpedt  they  very  much  refemble  the  locujls ; 
only  the  different  tails  are  accommodated  to  the  different  crea- 
tures, the  tails  Oi  f cor pions  to  lociijis  \  the  tails  oi  ferpents  with 
an  head  at  each  c7:dtQ  horfes.  By  this  figure  it  is  meant,  that 
the  Turks  draw  after  them  the  fame  poifonqus  train  as  the  Sar- 
racens ;  they  profefs  and  propagate  the  fame  impofture  j  they 
do  hurt  not  only  by  their  conquefts,  bucalfo  by  fpreading  their 
falfe  dotSlrine  ;  and  wherever  they  eftablifh  their  dominion, 
there  too  they  eftablifa  their  religion.  Many  indeed  of  the- 
»i~ . .   ■-    .-    -  .  I .  -    III..  I    .  .        .1  ■  > .11  1 .  1 1  ■ .  -         11^) 

(^)  Clialcocond.  ibid.  Lib.  7. 

(ii-)  Bombardas  fieri  curavit  maximas,  quantas  novimus  ea  tempef- 
tate  numquam  extitifie.— Tanta  hujus  bombarda;  magnitude  extitit, 

uta  feptuagintajugi-s  bourn  eta  y  iris  bis  mille  tnihenda  fuerit. • 

Bombardae,  quas  rex  habebat,  duaj  maxima^,  emitteb.int  lapidem 
qui  appendebat  talenta  duo— -Haiernittebant  lapidem,  cujus  pondus. 
erat  dim.idium  talentum — — Bombarda  maxima  tcrquebat  globum, 
cuius  pondus  contipebat  triacirciter  talenta — Dombarda::  hujus  to- 
nitru  tanturnefie  traditum  eft,  iit  finitima  regio  uique  ad  quadra- 
gintailadia  concuteretur. — Jam  qiiadraginta  diebus  murus  bombar- 
dis  fortiter  quafiatus  erat,  &c.  Chalcocon.  ibid.  Lib.  8.  P.  203, 
zq^..  Edit.  Paris.  P.  15,8,   159.  Edit.  Vcr.^t. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


231 


Greek  church  remained,  and  are  ftill  remaining  among  them: 
but  they  are  (a)  made  to  pay  dearly  for  the  exercifii  of  their  re- 
ligion ;  are  fubjeded  to  a  capitation  tax,  which  is-  rigoroufly 
exadled  from  all  above  fourteen  years  of  age ;  are  burdened 
befides  with  the  moil:  heavy  and  arbitrary  impofitions  upon 
every  occaaon;  are  compelled  to  the  lov/cll  and  moltfervile 
drudgery  ;  are  abufed  in  their  perfcns,  and  robbed  of  their  pro- 
perty ;  have  not  only  the  mortification  of  feeing  fome  of  their 
friends  and  kindred  daily  apoftatize  to  the  ruling  religion,  but 
had  even  their  children  taken  from  them  to  be  educated  therein, 
of  whom  the  moft  robuft  and  hardy  were  trained  up  to  the  fol- 
diery,  the  more  weakly  and  tender  were  caftratcd  for  the  ferag- 
lio:  but  notwithitanding  thefe  perfecutions  and  oppreflions 
fome  remains  of  the  Greek  church  are  ftiil  preferved  among 
them,  as  we  may  reafonably  conclude,  to  ferve  fome  great  and 
myfterious  ends  of  providence. 

But  though  the  Greek  church  was  thus  ruined  and  opprefTed, 
the  rejiofmen  (ver.  20,  21.)  who  tuere  not  killed  by  thefe  plague Sy 
the  Latin  church  which  pretty  well  efcaped  thefe  calamities,  yet 
repented  not  of  the  %vorks  of  their  hands ^  that  they  JJjouldnot 
vjorjhip  devilsy  (in  the  original,  demons  or  fccond  mediatory 
Gods)  as  it  hath  largely  been  ihown  before,  faints  a*id  angels, 
and  idols  of  gold  and  filver  and  brafs  andjione  and  ivood.  From 
hence  it  is  evident,  that  thefe  calamities  were  inflitfted  upon  the 
Chriftians  for  their  idolatry.  As  the  eaftern  churches  were 
firft  in  the  crime,  fo  they  were  firft  likewife  in  the  puniihment. 
At  firft  they  were  vifited  by  the  plague  of  the  Saracens,  but  this 
working  no  change  or  reformation,  they  v/ere  again  chaitifed 
by  the  ftiil  greater  plague  of  the  Othmans;  were  partly  over- 
thrown by  the  former,  and  were  entirely  ruined  by  the  latter. 
What  churches  were  then  remaining,  which  were  guilty  of  the 
like  idolatry,  but  the  weftern,  or  thofe  in  the  communion  of 
Rome  ?  And  the  weftern  were  not  at  all  reclaimed  hy  the  ruia 
of  the  eaftern,  but  perfifted  ftiil  in  the  worfhip  of  faints,  and, 
what  is  worfe,  the  worftiip  of  images,  li; /;/<:/;  neither  can  fee^  nor 
hear^  nor  walk  :  and  the  world  is  wrtnefs  to  the  completion 
of  this  prophecy  to  this  day.  Neither  repented  they  of  their 
murders^  their  perfecutions  and  inquifitions,  nor  of  their  for- 
ceries^  their  pretended  miracles  and  revelations,  nor  of  their  for- 
nication^  their  public  ftews  and  uncleannefs,  nor  of  their  thefts^ 

1  ••■"■■     ■  II  .       u  .    «  II     -  ■  ■  -  '  -I    > 

{a)  See  Smith's  and  Rycaut's  accounts  of  the  Greek  church. 


232 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


their  exactions  and  impofitions  on  mankind  :  and  they  are  as 
notorious  for  their  licentioufnefs  and  wickednefs,  as  for  their 
fuperftition-and  idolatr}'.  As  they  therefore  refufed  to  take 
warning  by  the  two  former  woes,  the  third  woe,  as  we  Ihall  fee, 
will  fall  with  vengeance  upon  them. 

CHAP.    X. 


I      A   ND   I   faw  another   mighty  angel  come   down 
J^x.  ^^<^^  heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud,  and  a  rain- 
bow was  upon  his  head,  and  his  face  was  as  it  were  the 
fun,  and  his  feetas  pillars  of  iirc. 

2  And  he  had  in  his  hand  a  little  book  open :  and  he 
fet  his  right  foot  upon  the  fea,  and  his  left  foot  on  the 
earth. 

3  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  as  when  a  lion  roareth : 
and  when  he  had  cried,  feven  thunders  uttered  their 
voices. 

4  And  when  the  feven  thunders  had  uttered  their 
voices,  I  was  about  to  write  :  and  I  heard  a  voice  from 
heaven  faying  unto  me.  Seal  up  thofe  things  which  the 
feven  thunders  uttered,  and  write  them  not. 

5  And  rhe  angel  which  I  faw  ftand  upon  the  fea,  and 
upon  the  earth,  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven, 

6  And  fwareby  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  who 
created  heaven  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the 
earth  and  the  thinos  that  therein  are,  and  the  fea  and  the 
things  which  are  therein,  that  there  Ihould  be  time  no 
longer: 

7  But  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  feventh  angel, 
when  he  ihall  begin  to  found,  the  myftery  of  God  fhould 
be  finilhed,  as  he  hath  declared  to  his  fervants  the  pro- 
phets. 

8  And  the  voice  which  1  heard  from  heaven  fpake  un- 
to me  again,  and  faid  Go,  a}id  take  the  little-  book  which 
is  open  in  the  hand  of  the  angel  which  ftandeth  upon  the 
fea,  and  upon  the  earth. 

9  And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  and  faid  unto  him,  Give 
me  the  little  book.  And  he  faid  unto  me.  Take  it,  and 
eat  it  up  i  and  it  fhall  make  thy  belly  bittLTj  but  it  (hidl 
be  in  thy  mouth  as  fwcet  zs  honey. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


^22 


10  And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand, 
and  ate  it  up ;  and  it  was  in  my  mouth  as  fweet  as  honey  : 
and  as  foon  as  I  had  eaten  it,  my  belly  was  bitter. 

11  And  he  faid  unto  me,  Thou  muit  prophecy  ao-p.in 
before  many  peoples,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  and  kiirzs. 

St.  John,  in  conclufion  of  the  laft  chapter,  having  touched 
upon  the  corruption  of    the   weilern  church,   proceeds  now  to 
deliver  fome  prophecies  relating  to  this  lamentable  event.     But 
before  he  enters  upon  the  fubjcd:,    he  (and  the  church   in  him) 
is  prepared  for  it  by  an  auguft  and  confolatory  vifion.    Another 
mighty  angel  came  clown  from  heaven  (ver.  i.)   defcribed  f^me- 
what  like  the  angel  in  the  three  laft  chapters  of  Daniel,  and  in 
the  iirft  chapter  of  the  Revelation.      He  had  in  his  handover. 
2.)  a  little   hook^   or  codicil   different  from  the  beck   mentioned 
before;  and  it  was   open^    that  all  men   might  freely  read  and 
confider  it.     It  was  indeed  a  codicil  to  the  larger  book,    and 
properly  cometh  under  thiS  fixth  trumpet,  to  defcribe  the  ftate 
of  the  weftern  church,  after  the  defcription  of  the  ftate  of  the 
eaftern  :  and  this  is  with  good  reafon  made  a  fe  par  ate  and  dif- 
tin6l  prophecy,  on  account  of  the  importance  of  the  matter,  as 
well  as  for  engaging  the  greater  attention.       He  fct  his  right 
foot  upon  the  fea^  and  his  left  foot   on   the  earthy    to  iliow  the 
extent  of  his  power  and  commiilion  :    and  when  he  had  cried 
aloud^  (ver.  '^')  fven  thunders  uttered  their  voices.       St.  Jolia 
would  have  written  down  (ver.  4.)  thofe  things  which  the  feven 
thunders  uttered^  but  was  forbidden  to  do  it.     As  we  knovv  not 
the  fubjefts   of   the  feven  thunders^    fo  neither  can  we  know 
the  reafons  for  fuppreiling  them:    but   it   may  be  conceived, 
that  fomething  might  be  proper  to  be    revealed  to  the  apoftle, 
and  yet  not  to  be  communicated  to  the  church.    ^)'  thefe  fven 
thunders^  [a)  Vitrin2;a  underftands  the  {qyqx\  great    croifades 
or  expeditions  of  the  weftern  Chriftians  for  the  conqueft  of  the 
holy  land,  and  Daubuz  the  {^wQa  kingdoms  which  received  and 
eftabliftied  the  proteftant  reformation  by  law.      But  doth  it  not 
favor  rather   of    vanity  and  prefumption  than  of   wifdoni  and 
knowledge,  to  pretend  to  conjecture  what  they   are,  when  the 
Holy  Spirit  hath  purpofely  concealed  them  ?     Then  the  angel 
(ver.  5,  6,  7.)  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven^    like  the  angel  in 
Daniel,   (xii.  7.)  and  fiuare  hy  him  that  liveth  for  ever  a?:devery 
Vol.  II.  Gg 

{a)  Vitring.  in  locum.  P.  431.  Daubuz.- P.  469. 


234 


DISSERTATIONS     on 


the  great  creator  of  all  things,  (in  the  original)  that  the  time 
Jhall  not  he yet^  but  it  fhall  be  in  the  days  of  the  feventh  trum- 
pet, that  the  myjiery  of  God  Jhall  he  Jinijhedj  and  the  glorious 
ilate  of  his  church  be  perfected,  agreeably  to  the  good  things 
which  he  hath  promifed  to  his  fervants  the  prophets.  This  is 
faia  for  the  confolation  of  Chriftians,  that  though  the  little  book 
deicribes  the  calamities  of  the  weftern  church,  yet  they  ihall 
all  have  a  happy  period  under  the  feventh  trumpet.  St.  John 
is  then  ordered  (ver.  8,  9,  lO. )  to  eat  the  little  hooky  as  Kze- 
kiel  (iii.  3.)  did  upon  a  like  occafion :  and  he  ate  it  up-,  he 
thoroughly  confidered,  and  digefted  it ;  and  found  it  to  be,  as 
he  was  informed  it  would  be,  fweet  as  honey  in  his  mouthy  but 
bitter  in  hisjlomach.  The  knowledge  of  future  things  at  firft 
was  pleafcint,  but  the  fad  contents  of  the  little  book  afterwards 
filled  his  foul  with  forrow.  But  thefe  contents  were  not  to 
be  fealed  up  like  thofe  of  the  feven  thunders-^  this  little  book 
was  to  be  publiihed  (ver.  11.)  as  well  as  the  larger  book  of 
the  Apocalyps  ;  it  was  a  kind  o^  fecond  prophecy,  added  to  the 
former ;  and  as  it  concerned  kings  and  nations^  fo  it  was  to  be 
made  public  for  their  ufe  and  information.  But  if  here  as  fome 
contend,  the  prophecy  begins  again  anew,  the  fubje6l  is  refu- 
med  from  the  beginning,  and  all  that  follows  is  contained  in 
the  Utile  book^  then  the  little  book  contains  more  matter  than  the 
larger  hook^  and  part  of  the  feaed  book  is  made  part  of  the 
open  book,  which  is  contrary  to  the  regularity  and  order  of  the 
Apocalyps,  and  in  a  great  meafure  deftroys  the  beauty  and  fym- 
metry  of  the  different  parts ;  for  it  is  evident  and  undeniable, 
that  the  feventh  trumpet  is  the  feventh  part  of  the  feventh  feal, 
as  the  feventh  feal  is  the  feventh  part  of  the  fealed  book,  and 
confequently  can  be  no  part  of  the  little  open  book,  which 
endcth,  as  we  fhall  fee,  with  the  fixth  trumpet,  and  immediate- 
ly' before  the  founding  of  the  feventh. 

CHAP.    XI. 

I      A   ND  there  was  given  me  a  reed  like  unto  a  rod  : 
£^\^  and  the  angel  flood,    faying.  Rife,  and   meafure 

the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,    and  them  that  worfhip 

therein. 

2  But  the  court  which   is  without  the  temple,    leave 

out,  and  meafure  it  not ;  for  it  is  given  unto  the  Gentiles  : 

and  the  holy  city  fhall  they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  tw» 

m^ntlis. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  235 

3  And  I  will  give  power  unto  my  two  witncfles,  and 
they  fliall  prophecy  a  thoufand  two  hundred  ^«^  thrccfcore 
days  clothed  in  fackcloth. 

4  Thefe  are  the  two  olive-trees,  and  the  two  candle- 
ilicks  ftanding  before  the  God  of  the  earth. 

5  And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  fire  proceedcth  out 
of  their  mouth,  and  devoureth  their  enemies  :  and  if  any 
man  will  hurt  them,  he  muft  in  this  manner  be  killed. 

6  Thefe  ha^^e  power  to  fhut  heaven,  that  it  rain  not 
in  the  days  of  their  prophecy :  and  have  power  over  wa- 
ters to  turn  them  to  blood,  and  to  fmite  the  earth  with  all 
plagues  as  often  as  they  will. 

7  And  when  they  fhall  have  finiftied  their  teftimony, 
the  beaft  that  afcendeth  out  of  the  bottomLfs  pit,  fhall 
make  war  againft  them,  and  fhall  overcome  them,  and 
kill  them. 

8  And  their  dead  bodies  Jhall  He  in  the  ftreet  of  the 
great  city,  which  fpiriiually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt, 
where  alfo  our  Lord  was  crucified. 

9  And  they  of  the  people,  and  kindreds,  and  tongues, 
and  nations,  fhall  fee  their  dead  bodies  three  days  and  a 
half,  and  fhall  not  fufFer  their  dead  bodies  to  be  put  in 
graves. 

10  And  thev  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  fhall  rejoice 
over  them,  and  make  merry,  and  fhall  fend  gifts  one  to 
another  ;  becaufe  thefe  two  prophets  tormented  them  that 
dwelt  on  the  earth. 

11  And  after  three  days  and  an  half,  the  fpirit  of  life 
from  God  entered  into  them :  and  they  flood  upon  their 
feet,  and  great  fear  fell  upon  them  which  faw  them. 

12  And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven,  faying 
unto  them.  Come  up  hither.  And  they  afcended  up  to 
heaven  in  a  cloud,  and  their  enemies  beheld  them. 

13  And  the  fame  hour  there  was  a  great  earthquake, 
and  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  in  the  earthquake 
were  ilain  of  men  feven  thoufand  ;  and  the  remnant  were 
affrighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven. 

14  The  fecond  woe  is  pafl,  and  behold,  the  third  woe 
Cometh  quickly. 

In  the  former  part  of  this  chapter,  from  the  firfl  \'crfe  to  tiic 
fourteenth,  are  exhibited  the  contents  of  this  little  book.  St. 
John  is  commanded  (verf.  l.)  to  ?neafure  the  inner  court,  the  tern- 
fie  of  God^  and  the  altar,  a?7d  them  who  iucrjl?!p  therehiy  to  fliow 


236  ^     DISSERTATIONS 


O  N 


that  durins;  all  this  period  there  were  fome  true  Chriftians,  v/ho 
con  farmed  to  the  rule  and  meafure  of  God's  word.     This  mea- 
furinp-  might  allude  more  particuiaily  to  the  Reformation  from 
popery,  which  fell  out  under  this  fixth  trumpet ;  and  one  of  the 
moral  caufes  of  it  was  the  Othmans  taking  of  Conftantinople, 
whereupon  the  Greeks  flying  from  their  own  country,  and  bring- 
ing their  books  with  them  into  the  more  weftern  parts  of  Europe, 
proved  the  happy  occafion  of  the  revival  of  learning :  as  the  re- 
vival of  learning  opened  mens  eyes,  and  proved  the  happy  occa- 
iion  of  the  Reformation.     But  though  the  inner  courts  which  in- 
cludes the  fm.dler  number,  was  meafured^  yet  the  outer  court^ 
which  implies  thefar  greater  part,  was  left  out  (verf.  2.)  and  re- 
^efted,  as  being  in  the  pofTeflion  of  Chriflians  only  in  name,  but 
'Gentiles  in  worfhip  and  praitice,  who  profaned  it  with  heathen- 
ilh  fuperftition  and  idolatry:  and  they  {hall  tread  under  foot  the 
holy  c'lty^  they  fhall trample  upon,  and  tyrannize  over  the  church 
of  Chrift,  for  the  fpace  o^  forty  and  two  months. 

At  the  fame  time  God  ihould  raife  fome  true  and  faithful  wit- 
ncffes  (verf.  3.)  to  preach  and  protefl  againft  thefe  innovations 
and  corruptions  of  religion  ;  for  there  were  proteftants  long  be- 
fore ever  the  name  came  into  ufe.     Of  thefe  v/itnefTes  there  fhould 
be,  though  but  fmall,  yet  a  competent  number  ;  and  it  was  a  fuf- 
ficient  reafon  for  making  them  two  witnejjes^  being  the  number 
required  by  the  law  and  approved  by  the  gofpel,  Deut.xix.   15. 
Matt,  xviii.  16.  "  In  the  mouth  of  two  witnefTes  fliall  every  word 
be  eftablifhed :"   and  upon  former  occafions  two  have  often  been 
joined  in  ccmmjffion,  as  Mofes  and  Aaron  in  Egypt,  Elijah  and 
tlifha  in  the  apoPcafy  of  the  ten  tribes,  and  Zerubbabel  and  Jefh- 
ua  after  the  Babylonifh  captivity,  to  whom  thefe  v/itnciTes  are 
particularly  compared.     Our  Saviour  himfelf  fent  forth  his  dif- 
ciples,  Luke  x.  I.  ''two  and  two:"  and  it  hath  been  obferved  alfo, 
that  the  principal  reformers  have  ufually  appeared  as  it  v/ere  in 
pairs,  as  the  Waldenfes  and  Albigenfes,  John  Ilufs  and  Jerome 
of  Prague,  Luther  and  Calvin,  Cranmer  and  Ridley,  and  their  fol- 
lowers.    Not  that  I  conceive,  that  any  two  particular  men,  or 
two  particular  churches,  were  intended  by  this  prophecy  ;  but 
only  it  was  meant   in  the  general,  that  there  fhould  be  fome 
in  every  age,  though  but  a  fevf   in  number,  who  fhould  bear 
v/itnefs  to  the  truth,  and  declare  againfl  the   iniquity  and  idol- 
try  of  their  time?.     They  fhould  not  be  difcouraged  even  by 
pcrfecution    and    opprcflion,  though  cloathed  in  fackcloth^  and 


T  H  E     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  237 

living  in  a  mourning  and  affii6led   ftate,  fliould  yet  prophecy. 
fhcuid    yet    preach    the    fincere  word   ot    God,  and  denounce 
the  divine  judgments  againft  the  reigning  idolatry  and  vt'icked- 
nefs:  and   this    they   Ihould   continue   to  do,   as  long  as   the 
grand  corruption   itfelf  lafted,  for  the   fpace  of  a  thoi'far:d  tw9 
hundred  and  threefcore  days.     It  is  the  fame  fpace  of  time  with 
the  forty  and  two  ?nonths  before  mentioned.     For  forty  and  izvo 
?nonthsy  confifting  each  of  thirty  days,  are  equal  to  a  thoufand 
two    hundred  and  threefcore   days.,   or   years   in  the  prophetic 
flile  ;  and  a  thoufand  two  hundred  and  threefcore  years.,  as  wc 
have  feen  before  in  Daniel,  and  fhall  fee  hereafter  in  the    Re- 
velation, is  the  period  affigned  for  the  tyranny  and  idolatry  of 
the  church  of  Rome.     The  witneffcs  therefore  cannot  be  any 
two    men,  or  any  tv/o  churches,    but  muft    be  a  fuccefnon  of 
men,  and  a  fucceflion  of  churches. 

A  character    is    then   given    of  thefe  witneiTes,   and   of  the 
power  and  efFeft  of  their  preaching.      Thefe  are  the  two  olive- 
trees.,    and  the    two  candlejHcks  fianding   before   the  God  of  the 
earth.,  (verf.  4.)  that  is,  they  are  like  Zerubbabel  and  Jefhua, 
(Zech.  iv.)  the  great  inftructers  and  cnlighteners  of  the  church. 
Fire  proceedeth  out  of  their  fuouth.,  and  devour eth  their   encjnies., 
(verf.  5,)  that  is,  they  are  like  unto  Mcfes  and  Elijah,  (Numb, 
xvi.  2  Kings  i.)   v/ho   called    for  iire  upon   their  adverfaries. 
But  their  fire  was  real,  this  is  fymboliciil,  and  proceedeth  out  cf 
the  mouth  of  the  witneiTes,  denouncino:  the   divine  vengeance 
on  the  corrupters   and  oppofers  of  true  religion  ;   much  in  the 
fame  manner  as  it  was  faid  to  Jeremiah,  v.  14.  **  I    will   make 
"  my  words  in  thy  mouth  iire,  and  this   people  wood,  and  it 
"  fhall  devour  them."      Thefe  have  po-iver  to  jhut  heaven.,  that 
it  rain  not  in  the  days  of  their  prophecy^  (verf.  6.)  that  is,  they 
are  like  Elijah,  who  foretold  a  want  of  rain  in  the  days  of  xA.hab. 
I  Kino-s  xvii.  i.  Jam.  v.  17.  "  and  it  rained  not  on  the  earth 
^  for  the  fpace  of  three  vcars  and  fix  months,"   which,  myfli- 
cally  under  flood,  is  the  fame  fpace  of  time  as  the  forty  and  two 
months.,  and   the  thoufand   two    hu?idred   and   threefcore  days., 
which  are  alloted  for  the  prophefying  of  the  witnellcs.     Du- 
ring: this  time   the   divine    grace,  and  protection,   and  bleffmg 
fhall  be  withheld  from  thofe  men,  who  ncgle6l  and  defpife  th^iir 
preaching  and  dodrine.     They  have  alfo  power  over  the  waters 
io  turn  them  to  blood.,  and  to  fmite  the  earth  with  all  plagues., 
as  often  as  they  will.,  that  is  they  are  like  Mofes  and   Aaron, 
who  infiiiSled  thefe  plagues  on  Egypt :  and  they  may  be  laid 


23S        DISSERTATIONS     on 

to  fmite  the  earth  with  the  plagues  which  they  denounce,  for  in 
fcripture-languags  the  prophets  are  often  faid  to  do  thefe  things 
which  they  declare  and  foreteJ.  But  it  is  mod  highly  probable, 
that  thefe  particulars  will  receive  a  more  literal  accomplifhment, 
when  the  plagues  of  God  and  the  vials  of  his  wrath  (Chap, 
xvi.)  ihiW  be  poured  out  upon  men,  in  confequence  of  their 
having  fo  long  relifted  the  teftimony  of  the  witnefles.  Their 
caufe  and  the  caufe  of  truth  will  finally  be  avenged  on  all  their 
enemies. 

Next  after  this  defcription  of  the  pov/er  and  ofRce  of  the 
ivitnelles,  follows  a  prediction  of  chofe  things,  which  fhall 
befal  them  at  the  latter  end  of  their  miniftry :  and  their  paffion, 
and  death,  and  refurreclion,  and  afcenfion  are  copied  from  our 
Saviour's,  who  is  emphaticaliy  ililed,  iii.  14.  "  the  faithful 
*'  and  true  witnefles:'*  but  with  this  difference,  that  his  were 
real,  theirs  are  figurative  and  myflical.  Jnd  when  they  Jhall 
have  fiui/hed^  (in  the  Greek,  when  they  fiallbe  about  finijhing) 
their  ttjitmony^  (ver.  7.)  the  beajl  that  afcendeth  out  of  the  cibyfs^ 
the  tyrannical  power  of  Rome,  of  which  we  fhall  hear  more 
hereafter,  Jhall  make  war  againjl  them^  and  floall  overcome  them^ 
and  kill  them.  The  heaji  indeed  fhall  make  war  againjl  them  all 
the  time  that  they  are  performing  their  miniftry ;  but  when  they 
fioall  be  near  finljhing  ity  ht  pall  fo  ?nake  war  againji  thetn^  as 
io  overco?ne  theniy  and  kill  them.  They  fhall  be  fubdued  and 
lupprefTed,  be  degraded  from  all  power  and  authority,  be  de- 
prived of  all  olhccs  and  functions,  and  be  politically  dead,  if 
not  naturally  io.  In  this  low  and  abje6l  flate  they  fhall  lie 
fome  time  (ver.  8.)  in  the  Jlrcet  of  the  great  city,  in  fome 
confpicuous  place  whereiii  the  jurifdiition  of  (a)  Rome,  luhich 
fpiritually  is  called  Sodom  for  corruption  of  manners,  and  Egypt 
for  tyranny  and  opprefPion  of  the  people   of  God,  zuhere   alfo 

{a)  Mr.  Mann,  the  learned  Mailer  of  the  charter-hoafe,  in  foine 
manufcripL  notes  upon  Virtringa'sbook  on  the  Revelation,  commu- 
nicated to  me  by  my  friend  Dr.  Jortin,  hath  the  following  to  prove 
that  not  Jerufdem,  but  Rome  was  intended  in  this  place  :  Rev.  xi. 
'^>.  "  The  great  city  which  fpiritually  is  caiied  Sodom  and  Egypt, 
"  v>'here  their  Lord  was  crucified."  i.  **  Jerafaicm  in  ver.  2.  of 
"  this  very  chapter,  is  called  the  holy  city:  can  it  be  in  fo  few 
"■  periods  intended  under  the  narie  of  Sodom  and  Egypt  .^ 

2.  **  The  holy  city  or  Jerufalem  ver.  2.  was  to  be  walled  and  trod 
"'  under  foot  by  the  Gentiles  for  forty-two  months :  the  two  wit- 
"  ntiicz  were  to  prophefy  the  fame  fpace  of  time  :  how  then  Ihould 
*'  tJieir  carcafi'es  lie  in  the  flreet  of  Jerufalem  fo  wafted  ? 


~x 


THE     PROPHECIES.  :^3^ 

our  Lord  was  ^rz/rZ/ZtY/fpiritually,  being  crucified  afrefh  in  the 
fufierings  of  his  fuitiifal  martyrs.  Nay  to  Hievv  the  greater  in- 
dignity and  cruelty  to  the  n\artyrs,  thvir  dead  bodies  fhall  not 
only  he  publicly  cxpofcdj  (ver.  9.)  but  they  fhall  be  denied 
even  the  common  privilege  of  burial,  which  is  the  cafe  of  ma- 
ny proteftants  in  popifti  countries  :  and  their  enemies  Jhall  re- 

"  — ■       ' "         "  •■        — — 

3.  "  jerufalein  in  this  book  is  four  times  called  the  Holy  City, 

*  never  the  Great   (unleis  it  be  here  meant)    Tiie  Great  City  is 

*  twelve  times  repeated  only  of  Babylon,  i.  e.  Rome  :  it  is  probft- 
'  ble  it  fhould  be  here  ufed  for  jeraiaiem  ? 

4^  **  In  ver.  13.  at  the  revival  of  the  two  witnciTes  after  lying 
'  dead  three  days  and  a  half,  ihe  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell  :  but  in 

*  ver.  2.  Jerufaiem  is  already  v/alled,  and  not  fuppoied  to  be  re- 

*  built :  and  therefore  incapable  of  being  fo  damaged. 

5.  **  And  were  jerufaiem  rebuilt,  the  enemies  of  Chrill:  out  of  all 

*  people,  tongues,  and  nations  (ver.  9.)  would  not  aflem.ble  there, 

*  nor  the  bealt  expofe  the  flain  witnclies  but  in  his  own  capital. 

I.  *'  Objedl.  There  are  two  charaderiiHcs  afiigned,  which  fit  Je- 
'  rufalem  only.  That  it  is  fpiritually  or  figuratively  called  Sodom 

*  and  Egypt;  as  jerufaiem  is  compared  to  Sodom.,  Ifa.  i.  lo.  and 

*  iii.  9  (of  Egypt  no  inftance.) 

I.  Anfw.  Tiiat  Capernaum  (Matt.  xi.  23,  24.)  is  like  wife  com^ 

*  pared  to  Sodom  by  Chrilt ;  and  fo  is  any  city  that  (hall  rejcd  the 

*  gofpel.  Matt.  X.  15.  Whence  Tertuliian  (adv.  jud.  c.  9.)  ob- 
'  ferves  of  this  very  name.  Nee  hoc  novum.  Scripturis  divinis,  figu- 
**  rate  uti  tranilatione  nominum,  ex  cornparatione  criminum.  So 
'  Rome  might  be  called  Sodom  for  iewdnefs,  and  Egypt  for  the 
'  oppreffion  of  God's  people. 

z.  *'  Objecl.  The  fecondchara(flereftic,  where  alfo  our  Lord  was 
'  cruciHed,  determines  the  place  to  jerufaiem  beyond  all  poffibility 

*  of  doubting. 

2. ''  Anfw.  Mills  fays.  The  text  fhould  be  read,  where  their  Lord 

*  was  crucified,  or  had  been  crucified ;  yet  indeed  without  making 

*  any  great  difference  to  the  literal  fenfe.  But  why  may  not  this  ex- 

*  prefTion  be  ufed  figuratively  as  well  as  the  preceding  ?  why  may 

*  not  the  Lord  of  the  two  witneflfes  be  fpiritually  crucified,  where 

*  they  are  fpiritually  (lain  }  St.  Paul  to  the  Galatians  ufes  this  e.x- 

*  preffion  figuratively  three  or  four  times :  The  £p.  to  the  Hebr. 

*  vi  6.  ufes  it  figuratively,  and  perhaps  in  the  very  fenlc  i:  may 
'  bear  here.  Though  it  is  capable  too  of  another,  whicii  is  uutiio- 
'  rifed  by  Chrill  himfeif,  for  Matt.  x.  and  xxv.  and  Ads  ix.  4,  5. 
'  he  declares  himfeif  to  futfer  what  is  done  to  his  followers.  In^ 
'  that  Great  City  therefore,  which  Was  drunk  with  the  blood  of 
'  the  faints,  and  the  myrtyrs  of  Jefus,  Chap.  xvii.  6.  Jefus  Jiim- 
'  felf  might  be  faid  to  be  crucified." 


240        DISSERTATIONS     on 

jolce  and  infult  ovcv  them^  (vcr.  lO.)  and jhall fend  m\xt\i2\.  pre- 
feiits  and  congratulations  one  to  another^  for  the  deliverance 
from  thefe  tormenters^  whofe  life  and  doctrine  were  a  continual 
reproach  to  them.  But  after  three  days  and  a  haif^  (ver.  ii.) 
that  is  in  the  prophetic  ftile  after  three  years  and  a  half  for  no 
Icfs  time  is  requiiite  for  all  thefe  tranfadtions,  they  fliall  be  rai- 
fed  again  by  the  fpirit  of  God-^  and  (ver.  12.)  fhall  afcend  up 
to  heaven  ;  they  fhall  not  only  be  reftored  to  their  prefline  ftate, 
but  Ihall  be  farther  promoted  to  dignity  and  honor ;  and  that 
by  a  great  voice  from  heaven^  by  the  voice  of  public  authority. 
At  the  fame  hour  there  jh all  he  a  great  earthquake^  there  fhall 
be  great  commotions  in  the  world  ;  and  the  tenth  part  of  the 
city  /hall fall,  as  an  omen  and  earnefl  of  a  flill  greater  fall; 
and  f even  thoifand  names  of  men,  or  {^^^^[1  thoufand  men  of 
Ti2iVn.t,  Jhall  be  flain  ;  and  the  remainder  in  their  fright  and  fear 
fhall  acknov/ledge  the  great  power  of  God. 

Some  interpreters  are  of  opinion,  that  this  prophecy  of  the 
death  and  refurre5iion  of  the  wituejfes  received  its  completion 
[a)  in  the  cafe  of  John  Hufs  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  who 
were  two  faithful  tvitnejfes  and  martyrs  of  the  bleil'ed  jefus. 
It  is  very  well  known,  that  they  were  condemned  to  death, 
and  afterwards  burnt  for  herefy  by  the  council  of  Conflance. 
Which  council  fitting  about  three  years  and  a  half  from  No- 
vember one  thoufand  four  hundred  and  fourteen  to  April  one 
thoufand  four  hundred  and  eighteen,  their  bodies  mav  that  time 
be  faid  to  have  lain  unburied  in  the  fire et  of  the  great  city,  in 
Conflance  where  was  the  greatefl  aiTembly  not  only  of  bifhops 
and  cardinals,  but  likev/ife  of  embalTadors,  barons,  counts, 
dukes,  princes,  and  the  emperor  himfelf.  But  after  the  coun- 
cil was  diflblved,  thefe  tu'o  preachers  were  reftored  as  it  were 
to  life  in  their  difciples  and  followers,  v/ho  propagated  the 
fame  doctrines,  maintained  them  by  force  of  arms  as  well  as  by 
preaching,  and  even  vancuifiied  the  Imperialills  in  feveral  bat- 
ties.  It  was  truly  faid  to  them  Come  up  hither,  when  they  were 
invited  to  the  council  of  Bafii  with  a  promife  of  redrefs  of 
grievances  :  but  the  council  having  dealt  fraudently  with  them, 
they  broke  out  again  into  open  rebellion,  and  the  tenth  part  of 
the  city  fell,  the  kingdom  of  Bohemia  revolted,  and  fell  alike 
from  it«;  obedience  to  the  Pope  and  emperor. 

{a)  Fox  et  Vitring.  P.  487,  &c.  Vide  etiam  Fred.  Spanhemii 
Hill.  Chrill.  Sa;c.  xv.  Cap.  6,  7.  Hiftoire  du  Concile  de  Conllancc 
par  Jaques  Lenfant.  Voltaire's  General  Hiftory  and  State  of  Eu- 
rope. Part  2.  and  Annals  of  the  Empire.  Vol.  II. 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


Hi 


Others  refer  this  prophecy  to  (a)  the  proteftants  of  the  league 
of  Smalcald,   who  were  entirely  routed  by  the  emperor  Charles 
V.  in  the  battle  of  iMulburg  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  April  one 
thoufand  five   hundred  and   forty-feven  ;    when   the  two  great 
champions  of  the  proteilants,    John  Frederic,  elee^ier  of  Sax- 
ony, was  taken  prifoner,  and  the  Landgrave  of  Hcflc  was  forced 
to  furrender  himfclf,  and  to  beg  pardon  of  the  empeior.     Pro- 
teftantifm  was  then  in  a  manner   fupprefled,    and  the  mafs  rc- 
ftored.      The    witnefles  were  dead,  but    uotLurud;    and  the 
papifts  rejoiced  over  them,  and  made  merry,  avd  fcnt  gifts  one 
to  another.       But  this  joy  and  triumph  of    theirs   were  of  no 
very  %n^  continuance  ;    for  in  the  fpace  of  about  three  years 
and  an  half,  the  proteftants  were  raifed  again  at  Magdeburg, 
and  defeated  and   took  the  duke  of  Mecklenburg   prnoner  in 
December    one   thoufand  five    hundred  and  fifty.     From  that 
time  their  affairs  changed  for  the  better  almoft  every  ^?.y ;  fuc- 
cefs  attended    their  arms  and  counfels  ;    and   the  emperor  was 
obliged  by  the  treaty  of  Pailau  to  allow  them  the  free  exercife 
of  their  religion,  and  to  re-admit  them  into  the  imperial  cham- 
ber, from  which  they  had  ever  fmce   the  victory  of   Mulburg 
been  excluded.     Here  was   indeed  a  great  earthquake,    a  great 
commotion,  in  which  many  thoufands  were  fain  ;  and  the  tenth 
part  of  the  city   fell,   a  great  part  of  the   German  empire  re- 
nounced the  authority,  and  abandoned  the  communion  of    the 
church  of  Rome. 

Some  again  may  think  this  prophecy  very  applicable  to  {b) 
the  horrid  mall'acre  of  the  protellants  at  Paris,  and  in  other 
cities  of  France,  begun  on  the  memorable  eve  of  iSt.  Bartho- 
lomew's day  one  thoufand  five  hundred  and  feventy-two.  Ac- 
cording to  the  heft  authors,  there  were  flain  thirty  or  forty 
thoutmd  hugonots  in  a  few  days;  and  among  them  without 
doubt  many  true  witnefles  and  faithful  martyrs  of  Jefus  Chrift. 
Their  dead  bodies  lay  in  the  Jlreet  of  the  great  city^  one  of  the 
greateft  cities  of  Europe  ;  for  they  were  not  fufFered  to  be 
buried  being  the  bodies  of  heretics;  but  were  dragged  through 
the  flreet,  or  thrown  into  the  river,  or  hung  upon  gibbits, 
and  expofed  to  public  infamy.  Great  rejoicings  too  were 
made  in  the  courts  of  France,  Rome,  and  Spain;  they  went 
in  procelHon  to  the  churches,  they  returned  public  thanks  to 
Vol.  n.  H  h 

{n)  Brightman  and  Vitring.  493,  ^'C.  See  alfo  Slcidan's  HiO.  of 
the  Reformation.  B.  19,  &c.  Voltaire's  Annals  of  the  Empire,  Vol.  II. 

{b)  Vitring.  P.  496,  &c.  Thuani  Hift.  Lib.  52,  53  ct  62.  Da- 
Vila's  Hift.  B.  5  et  6.     Mczeray.  Charles  ix.  and  Henry  iii. 


242        DISSERTATIONS     on 

God,  they  fang  Te  Deums,  they  celebrated  jubilees,  they  flruck 
medals  ;  and  it  was  enacted  that  St.  Bartholomew's  day  fhould 
ever  afterwards  be  kept  with  double  pomp  and  folemnity.  But 
neither  was  this  joy  of  long  continuance  ;  for  in  little  more 
than  three  years  atid  a  haf^  Henry  III.  who  fucceeded  his 
brother  Charles  IX.  entered  into  a  treaty  with  the  hugonots, 
v/hich  was  concluded  and  publifhed  on  the  fourteenth  of  May 
one  thoufand  five  hundred  and  feventy-fix,  whereby  all  the 
former  fentences  againil  them  were  reverfed,  and  the  free  and 
open  exercife  of  their  religion  was  granted  to  them  ;  they 
were  to  be  admitted  to  all  honors,  dignities,  and  offices,  as 
v/ell  as  the  papifts  ;  and  the  judges  were  to  be  h^f  (ff  fhe  one 
religion,  and  half  of  the  other;  with  other  articles  greatly  to 
their  advantage,  which  were  in  a  manner  the  reJurrecTion  of 
the  witnefl'es,  and  thtir  afce7iJion  into  heaven.  T^he great  eaj'th- 
quake^  and  the  falling  of  the  tenth  -part  of  the  eity.,  and  the  flay^ 
ing  of  thoifands  of  jnen^  according  to  this  hypothecs,  muft  be 
referred  to  the  great  commotions  and  civil  wars,  which  for 
feveral  years  afterwards  cruelly  difturbed,  and  almofl  deftroyed 
the  kingdom  of  France. 

Others  again  have  recourfe  to  later  events,  and  the  later  in- 
deed the  better  and  fitter  for  the  purpofe.  Peter  Jurieu,  a  fam- 
ous divine  of  the  French  church  at  Rotterdam,  [a)  imagined 
that  the  perfecution  then  carried  on  by  Lewis  XIV.  againfl 
the  proteftants  of  France,  after  the  revocation  of  the  edift  of 
Nantes  in  OtSlober  one  thoufand  fix  hundred  and  eighty-five, 
would  be  thelafl:  perfecution  of  the  church;  that  during  this 
time  the  witnefles  would  lie  dead,  but  fliould  recover  and  re- 
vive within  a  few  years,  and  the  Reformation  fhould  be  efta- 
blifned  in  that  kingdom  by  royal  authority;  die  whole  country 
fhould  renounce  popery,  and  embrace  the  protefl:ant  religion. 
Bifhop  Lloyd,  and  after  him  Mr.  Whifton  {b)  apply  this  pro- 
phecy to  the  poor  proteflants  in  the  vallies  of  Piedmont,  who 
by  a  cruel  edict  of  their  fovcreign  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  infligated 
by  the  French  king,  were  imprifoned  and  murdered,  or  baniili- 
ed,  and  totally  ciillipated  at  the  latter  end  of  the  year  one  thou- 
fand fix  hundred  and  eighty-fix.  They  were  kindly  received  and 
fuccoured  by  the  proteffant  flatcs  ;  and  after  a  while  fecretly 
entering  Savoy  v.ith  their  fwords  in  their  hands,  they  regained 

(«)  Jurieu's  Accoinplifhment  of  the  prophecies.     Part  2.  Chap. 
12  and  13-    - 

{h)  Whiftoirs  EiTays  on  the  Rev.  Part  3..  Vifion  2. 


HE     PROP  H  Ji  C  1  E  S. 


243 


their  ancient  poflefTions  with  great  flaiightcr  of  their  enemies; 
and  the  Duke  himfelf,  having  then  left  the  French  intcreft, 
granted  them  a  full  pardon  ,  and  re-ellabli(hcd  them,  by  ano- 
ther edit^  figned  June  fourth,  one  thoufand  fix  liuiidred  and 
ninety,  ]\x9i. three  years  and  an  half  after  their  total  diflipation. 
Biihop  Lloyd  not  only  underft-ood  the  prophecy  in  this  man- 
ner, but  what  is  very  remarkable,  made  the  application  even 
before  the  event  took  place,  as  Mr.  Whifton  relates,  and  upon 
this  ground  encouraged  a  refugee  minifler,  of  the  Vaudois, 
whofe  name  was  Jordan,  to  return  home,  and  returning  he 
heard  the  joyful  news  of  the  deliverance  and  reftitution  of  his 
country.  Thefe  were  indeed  mod  barbarous  perfccutions  of 
the  proteftants  both  in  France  and  Savoy;  and  at  the  fame 
time  popery  here  in  England  was  advanced  to  the  throne,  and 
threatened  an  utter  fubverfion  of  our  religion  and  liberties,  but 
in  little  more  than  three  years  and  an  half  a  happy  deliverance 
was  wrought  by  the  glorious  Revolution. 

in.  all  thefe  cafes  there  may  be  fome  refcmblance  to  the  pro- 
phecy before  us,  of  the  death  and  rcfurreclion  of  the  ivitnejfss  ; 
and  it  may  pleafe  an  overruling  providence  fo  to  difpof;  and 
order  events,  that  the  calamities  and  afflidlions  of  the  church 
may  in  fome  meafure  run  parallel  one  to  another,  and  all  the 
former  efforts  of  that  tyrannical  and  perfecuting  pov/er  called 
the  heafi^  may  be  the  types  and  iigures  as  it  were  of  this  his  laft 
and  greateft  effort  againft  the  wicneffes.  But  though  thefe  in- 
Ifances  fufficientlv  anfwer  in  fome  refpecls,  yet  they  are  defi- 
cient in  others,  and  particularly  in  this,  that  they  arc  none  of 
them  the  laft  perfecution  ;  others  have  been  iince,  and  in  all  pro- 
bability will  be  again.  Befides  as  the  two  witneffcs  are  defigned 
tobe  the  reprefentatives  of  the  proteftants  in  genera!,  fo  the 
perfecution  muff  be  general  too,  and  not  conhned  to  this  or 
that  particular  church  or  nation.  We  are  now  living  under 
the  ftxth  trumpet :  and  the  empire  of  "the  Euphratean  horfemen 
or  Othmans  is  (till  fubfifting,  and  perhaps  in  as  large  extent  as 
ever:  the  heaji  h  reigning;  and  the  luitneffes  are  ftill,  in. 
fome  times  and  places  more,  in  fome  lefs,  prophefying  infack- 
cloth.  It  will  not  be  till  tov/ards  the  end  of  their  tcJ}i?nony^  and 
that  ^wifeemeth  to  be  yet  at  fome  diftance,  that  the  great  vic- 
tory and  triumph  of  the  beajl^  and  the  fupprefiion,  and  refur- 
reition,  and  exaltation  of  the  ivitneffes  will  take  effect:.  When 
all  thefe  things  fliall  be  accompiifhed,  then  the  fxth  trumpet 
will  end,  then  the  fecond  tuoe  fhall  be  pa/l,  (ver.  14.)  the  Oth- 
man  empire  ftiall  be  broken  in  the  fame  manner  that  Ezekiel 


24^.        DISSERTATIONS    on 

(xxxviii.  xxxix.)  and  Daniel  (xl.  44,  45.)  have  predidcdj  iIk:' 
fufFerings  of  the  witnejfcs  fhall  ceaie,  and  they  fiiall  be  railed 
and  exalted  above  their  enemies :  and  when  the  fecond  ivot: 
fhall  be  thus  pajl^  behold  the  third  wce^  or  the  total  dellru<St:ion 
of  the  beaft  cometh  quickly.  Some  time  intervened  between 
the  firj}  and  the  fecofid  luoes  ;  but  upon  the  ceafing  oithejecondy 
the  third  fhall  commence  immediately. 

It  appears  then  that  the  greater  part  of  this  prophecy  relat- 
ing to  the  witnejfes  remains  yet  to  be  fulfilled  :  but  pofiibly 
fome  may  queftion,  whether  any  part  of  it  hath  been  fulfilled  ; 
whether  there  have  been  any  fuch  perfons  as  the  witnejfes^  any 
true  and  faithful  fervants  of  Jefus  Chrifl,  who  have  in  every 
age  profeiTed  doctrines  contrary  to  thofe  maintained  by  the 
Pope  and  church  of  Rome.  The  truth  of  the  fact  will  beft 
appear  by  an  historical  deduction  j  and  if  it  can  be  proved,  that 
theie  have  conflantly  been  fuch  witnejjes  from  the  feventh  cen- 
tury down  to  the  Reformation,  during  the  mofl  flourifhing  pe- 
riod of  popery,  I  prefume  there  can  be  little  doubt  about  the 
times  preceding  or  following.  As  there  hath  been  occafion  to 
obferve  before,  the  feeds  of  popery  were  fown  even  in  the 
apoflles  time,  but  they  were  not  grov/n  up  to  maturity,  the 
power  of  the  Pope  as  a  horn  or  temporal  prince  was  not  eila- 
blifhed  until  the  eighth  century  ;  and  from  thence  therefore 
it  will  be  proper  to  begin  our  dedu6tion,  when  the  beall  began 
to  reign,  and  the  witnefTes  to  prophecy  in  fa ck cloth. 

Great  as  the  power  of  the  Latin  church  was  grown  in  the 
eighth  century,  the  Greek  church  ftill  diffented  from  it,  and 
oppofed  it.  The  emperors  (<y)  Leo  Ifauricus  and  his  fon 
Conftantine  Copronymus,  not  only  vigoroufly  oppofed  the 
worfhip  of  images,  but  alio  denied  the  interceilion  of  faints, 
and  burnt  and  deflroyed  their  relics.  In  the  year  feven  hun- 
dred and  fifty-four,  Conftantine  Copronymus  held  a  general 
council  at  Conftantinople  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-eight 
bifhops,  who  prohibited  unanimoufly  the  worfhip  of  faints  as 
well  as  of  images  ;  and  (/>)  declared  that  "  only  one  image  was 

(^)  Theoph.  Cedren.  Zonar.  &c.  tic.  Ered.  Spanhemii  Kill. 
Chriftian.  Se6l.  viii.  Cap.  6,  7,   &c. 

(^)  Aliiscxplofis  imaginibus,  [verba  funt  Bellarmini  Tom.  i.P. 
535.]  unicam  definiverunt  elTe  imaginem  ab  ipfo  Chrilto  inlUtutairs, 
nimirum  panem  et  vinum  in  EucharilUa,  quie  repraefentant  Chrifti 
corpus  et  fangumem.  Ex  Concil.  Conllantinop.  Tom.  3.  P.  359. 
Edit.  Binnii.  UlTerios  de  ChriiUan.  Ecclef.  fuccefiione  ct  luitu.  Cap. 
2.  Sea.  4.  P.  19. 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


245 


"  conftituted  by  Chrift  himfelf,  namely  the  bread  and  wine  in 
«  the  eucharift,  which  reprefeiu  the  body  and  blood  of  Chrift  :" 
than  which   there  cannot   be  a  ftronger  declaration  againft  the 
dodlrine  of  tranfubftantiation  as  well  as  againft  the  worfhip  of 
images.     It  is  true  that  the  fecond  council  of  Nice  in  the  year 
{tvtn  hundred    and  eighty-feven  reftored  and  eftablifhed  the 
worfhip  of  images,   and   the  Pope   ratified  and  confirmed  it  j 
but  neverthclefs  great  oppofition  was   made  to   it  by  feveral 
churches  in    the    weft.      Charlemain  (a)    held  a   council  at 
Francfort  in  the  year  fevcn  hundred  and  ninety-four,  confifting 
of  three  hundred  bifhops  of  various  nations,  who  condemned 
equally  the  fecond  council  of  Nice  and  the  worfliip  of  images. 
The  Carol  in  books  were  alfo  fet  forth  under  the  name  and  au- 
thority of  that  great  monarch  ;  and  the  doctrines  therein  con- 
tained, of  the  fufficiency  of  the  fcriptures,  of  the    worftiip  of 
God  alone,  of  prayers  in  the  vulgar   tongue,  of  the  eucharift-, 
of  juftiiication,  of  repentance,  of  pretended  vifions  and    mira- 
cles, and  various  other  points,  are  fuch  as  a  papift  would  abhor, 
and  a  proteftant  would  fubfcribe.*    Not  to  feek  for  farther  in- 
ftances,  the  {h)   Britifti   churches  lamented  and  execrated  the 
fecond  council   of  Nice ;  and  the   famous    Albin   or   Alculii 
wrote  a  letter  againft  it,  difproving  and  refuting  it  by  exprefs 
authorities  of  holy  fcripture ;  which  letter  was  tranfmitted  to 
Charles  the  Great  in  the  name   of  the  biftiops  and  other  great 
men   of  the  kingdom.      Even  in  Italy  (c)  the  council  of  Foro- 
julio  prefcribed  the  ufe  of  no   other  creed  but   that  of  the  apo- 
ftles,  fo  that  they  had  no  conception  of  the  neceflity  of  fo  many 
additional   articles,  as  have  fmce  been  made  by  Pope  Pius  IV. 
and  received  by  the  church.      Some  even  of  the  Italian  biftiops 
aftifted  at  the  council  of  Francfort  before  mentioned,  and  par- 
ticularly Paulinus  bifliop  of  Aquileiabore  a  principal  part  in  it. 
Popery   prevailed  ftill  more  *in   the  ninth  century,  but  yet 
not  without  confiderable  oppofitioiii.     Not  only  (d)  the  empe- 
rors of  the  eaft,  Ny:ephorus,  Leo  Armenius,  Michael  Balbus, 

(a)  Spanheim.  ibid.  Cap.  6.  et  2  Ufler.  ibid.  P.  20.  Allix's  Re- 
marks upon  the  ancient  churches  of  the  Albigenfes,  Chap.  8. 

(6)  Hoveden,  Annal.  pars  prior  P.  232.  Simeon  Dunelm.  Hifl. 
P.  III.  Matt.  Weftm.  Flores  Hift.  Ann.  793.  UlTer  ibid.  P.  19. 
20.  Collier's  Ecclef.  Hift.  B.  2.  P.  1 39. 

(r)  Tom.  7.  Concil.  P.  1002.  Allix's  Remarks  upon  the  ancient 
churches  of  Piedmont.  Chap.  8.  Spanheim.  ibid.  Cap.  9,  10. 

(^)  Fred.  Spanheimii  Hift.  Chriftian.  Sarc.  ix.  Cap.  9.  Mifcell. 
Sacr.e  Anli(|.  Lib.  6.  Hift.  Imag.  7,  B,  9. 


246         DISSERTATIONS    on 

Theophilus,  and  the  emperors  of  the  v/eft,  Charles  the  great, 
and  Lewis  the  Pious,  but  alfo  feveral  prelates  and  ecclefiaftics, 
oppoied  the  abfolute  power  andfupremacy  of  the  Pope,  together 
with  the  worftiip  of  images,  and  invocation  of  faints  and  angels. 
The  capitularies  and  edicts  of  Charles  the  great  and  Lev/is  the 
Pious  {a)  injoining  the  reading  of  the  canonical  fcripture  as 
the  fole  rule  of  faith,  without  any  regard  to  human  traditions 
or  apocryphal  writings.  Private  mafles  and  pilgrimages,  and 
other  fuch  fuperftitions  (b)  were  forbidden  by  the  fame  capi- 
tularies. Lewis  the  Pious  held  a  council  at  Paris  in  the  year 
eight  hundred  and  twenty-four,  which  [c)  agreed  with  the 
council  of  Francfort  in  rejeding  the  fecond  council  of  Nice,. 
and  forbidding  the  worfhip  of  images.  Agobard,  archbifhop 
of  Lyons,  in  his  book  agaihft  piilures  and  images,  maintains, 
that  we  ought  not  to  adore  any  image  of  God,  but  only  that 
which  is  God  himfelf,  even  his  eternal  Son  ;  and  that  there 
is  no  other  mediator  between  God  and  men,  fave  Jefus  Chrift 
God  and  man :  fo  that  it  is  no  wonder  that  this  book  is  con- 
demned in  the  Index  Expur'gatorius  of  the  church  of  Rome. 
It  was  in  this  century,  that  the  doctrine  of  tranfubftantiation 
was  firlt  advanced  here  in  the  weft  by.  Pafchafius  Radbertjs 
abbot  of  Corbie  in  France  ;  but  it  Was  ftrenuoufly  oppofed  by 
Rabanus  Maurus,  Bertram.us,  Johannes  Scotus,  and  many 
other  bifhopsand  learned  men  of  that  aje.  Rabanus  Maurus, 
archbifhop  of  A/Ientz,  (d)  paffes  this  cenfure  upon  the  novelty 
of  the  doctrine;  "  Some,  fays  he,  of  late /lot  rightly  conceiv- 
"  ing  concerning  the  facrament  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
"  Lord,  have  affirmed  that  this  is  the  very  fame  body  of  our 
"  Lord,  vv^hich  was  born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  in  v/hich 
**  our  Lord  himfelf  fufrered.  Sic.  Vv'hich  error  we  have  oppofed 


{^)  Gapit.  Aquifgranens.  Spanhem.  Hifl.  Clgriftian,  Sxc.  ix.  Cap. 
3.  Se£l.  2.  Cap.  9,  6ed.  2. 

{6)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  9.  Scil.  5,  8,  &c. 

{c)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap  2.  Seft.  3.  Cap.  12.  Sefl.  2.  Hifl.  Imag, 
Sed.  9.  Allix's  Pvemarks  upon  the  ancient  churches  of  the  Abigen- 
fes.  Chap.  9. 

((f)  Quidam  nuper  de  ipfo  facramento  corporis  et  fanguinis  Do- 
mini nonredle  fentiente^,  dixerunt  hoc  ipfuvn  corpus  Domini  quod 
de  Maria  virgine  natum  efi,  etin  quo  ipfc  Dominus  pailus  cil,  &c  ; 
cuieriori  quantam  potuimus,  &c.  Lib.  Po^aitent.  C:ip.  •:?3.  Shan- 
hem,  Hilh  Ghrii'iaivSr^c.  ix.  Can.  lo.  Sadi.  x. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


H7 


"  to  the  utmoft  of  our  power,  &c."  Hethus  (^)  cxprcflcs  hisowa 
fentiments;  "  Our  Lord  would  have  the  racrament  of  his  body 
"  and  blood  be  taken  and  eaten  by  the  faithful,  that  by  a  viilble 
"  work  an  invifible  effcA  might  appear.  For  as  the  material 
"  food  outwardly  nouriilics  and  refrelhes  the bodv,  fo aKo  ihe  word 
''  of  God  inwardly  nouriflies  and  ftrengthens  the  foul."  Again: 
"  the  facrament  is  reduced  into  the  nourifhment  of  the  bodv> 
"  but  by  virtue  of  the  facrament  eternal  life  is  obtained." 
Bertramus,  or  Ratramnus  as  he  is  otherwife  called,  a  monk  of 
Corbie,  wrote  a  book  of  ihe  hody  and  blood  of  our  Lordy  which 
he  infcribed  to  the  emperor  Charles  the  bald. 

The  emperor  {h)  had  inquired  of  him,  "  whether  the  fame 
"  body,  which  was  born  of  Mary,  and  fuiTered,  and  was  dead 
"  and  buried,  and  which  fitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
"  is  Vs^hat  is  daily  taken  in  the  mouth  of  the  faithtul  bv  the 
"  myftery  of  the  facrament  in  the  church :"  and  Bertram  an- 
fwers,  that  the  diiFcrence  between  them  is  "  as  great  as  be- 
*'  tween  the  pledge,  and  the  thing  for  which  the  pledge  is  de- 
"  liv-ered;  as  great  as  between  the  image,  and  the  thing  whofe 
"  image  it  is ;  as  great  as  between  the  reprefentation,  and  the 
"  reality."  He  fays  [c)  in  f^veral  places,  that  "the bread  and 
"  wine  are  figurati  scly  the  body  of  Chrift,  fpiritually  not  corpo- 
"  rally,  in  figure,  in  image,  in  myflery,  not  in  truth,  or  real  ex- 
"  iflence,'or  prefence  of  the  fubftance."  Johannes  Scotus,  the 
famous  Irifhman,  for  the  Irifh  were  the  Scots  of  thofe  times, 

{a)  MaluitDominus  corporis  et  fanguinis  fui  facramenta  fideiium 
x)repercipi,  et  in  partem  [al.  palhim]  eorum  redigi,  ut  per  vifibile 
opus  inviiibilis  ollendctur  efFeftus.  Sicut  enim  cibus  materialis  fo- 
.rinfecLis  nutrit  corpus  et  vegetat,  itaetiam  verbum  Dei  intus  animam 
nutruit  et  roborat.  Sacramentum  in  alimentum  corporis  redigitur, 
virtue  autem  facramenti  aiterna  vita  adipifcitur.  TniUtat.  Cleric. 
.Lib.  I.  Cap.  31.  etde  Univerfo  Lib.  5.  Cap.  11.  UlTer.  de  Chrifli- 
an.  Ecclef.  fuccefTionc  etllatu.  Cap.  2.  Scit.  16. 

{I?)  Ubi  quaerenti  impcratori  utrum  ipfuin  corpus  quoddc  Maria 
-natum  eft  et  pafTum,  mortuum  et  fepultum,  quoque  ad  dexteram  Pa- 
tris  confideat,  fit  quod  ore  hdelium  per  facranientorum  myfterium 
in  ecclefia  quatidie  fumitur  :  refpondct  Bertramus  difcrimcn  inter 
utrumque  ti^e  taPxtum,  quantum  eft  inter  pignus,  et  earn  rem  pro 
qaapignus  traditur;  quantum  inter  imaginem,  et  rem  cujus  eft  ima- 
go :  et'quantum  inter  Ipaciem  et  veritatem.  Uffcr.  ibid.  Sc6t.  17.    ^ 

{c)  Ibi  fufe  Bertramus,  Panem  vinumque  figurate  corpus  Chrfti 
exiftere  :  fpiritualiter,  non  corporaliter  ;  in  figura,  in  imagine,  la 
myfterio;  non  in  varitate,  fua  reali  exiftentia,  vel  pr:efentia  fub- 
ftintix,  &c.  Spanhem  ibib. 


248  D  I  S  5  E  R  1'  A  1   1  O  N  S    on 

(a)  wrote  alfo  a  book  of  the  eucharijl  by  the  command  of  Charles 
the  bald:  and  therein  he  afferted,  that  "  the  facrament  of  the 
«  altar  is  not  the  true  body,  nor  true  blood  of  our  Lord,  but  only 
"  the  memorial  of  the  true  body  and  of  the  true  blood."  He 
was  after  this  invited  into  England  by  king  Alfred,  was  prefer- 
red by  him,  and  honoured  with  the  title  of  martvr  after  his 
death :  which  is  at  leaft  a  ftrong  prefumption,  that  the  church  of 
England  had  not  at  that  time  received  the  do6lrine  of  tranfub- 
ftantiation.  Inltaiy  itfeif  [b)  Angilbcrtus,  archbifhop  of  Mi- 
Ian,  would  not  acknowledge  the  fupremacy  of  the  Pope,  nor  did 
the  church  of  Milan  fubmit  to  the  lee  of  Rome  till  two  hundred 
years  afterwards.  But  no  one  was  more  willing;  as  indeed  no 
one  of  that  age  v/as  more  able  to  ftem  the  torrent  of  fuperftition 
than  Claud  biflic^p  of  Turin,  in  his  numerous  writings  and  com- 
ments upon  fcripture.  He  (c)  afl'erted  the  equality  of  all  the  a- 
polHes  with  St.  Peter,  and  maintained  that  Jefus  Chrift  was  the 
only  head  of  the  church.  He  overthrew  the  dodtrine  of  merit 
and  all  pretences  to  works  of  fupererogation.  He  reje6led  tradi- 
tions in  matters  of  religion,  held  the  church  to  befubiecS^  to  error, 
and  denied  the  ufe  of  prayers  for  the  dead.  He  propofed  the  doc- 
trine of  the  eucharift  in  a  manner  totally  different  from  Pafcha- 
fms  Radbertus,  and  entirely  conformable  to  the  fenfc  of  the  an- 
cient church.  He  oppofed  with  all  his  might  the  woriliip  of 
faints,  of  relics,  of  images,  together  with  pilgrimages,  penances, 
and  other  fuperftitions  of  the  like  kind.  He  may  in  a  manner 
be  fald  to  have  fown  the  feeds  of  the  Reformation  in  his  diocefe 

[a)  Sacramentum  altciris  non  efTe  verum  corpus,  nee  verum  fan- 
gainem  Domini,  (q6.  rolummodo  memoria  le  veri  corporis  et  veri 
ianguinis.  Spanhem.  ibid,  Ufier,  ibid.  Sect.  19.  Dupin.  ix.  Siecle. 
Chap.  7.  Cave  Hiit.  Litt.  Ann.  858.  P.  45.  Vol.  II.  Collier's  Ec- 
clefiaft.  Hift.  B.  3.  P.  165. 

{h)  Si^on.  de  Regn.  Ital.  Lib.  5.  Ann.  844.  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap. 
9.6eft.  I. 

(r)  See  thefe  points  proved  by  quotation?  and  extracts  from  his 
works  in  Dr.  Allix's  remarks  upon  the  ancient  churches  of  Pied- 
mont. Chap.  g.  See  alfo  Spanheim,  Dupin,  Cave,  Sic. 

{d)  Infelix  decitur  hoc  fi^cculum,  exhaultum  hominibus  ingenio 
et  dodrina  claiis,  fit  etiam  claris  principibus ;  et  pontificibus ;  in 
quo  nihil  fere  dignum  memoria  pofteritatis  geftum  fit — Hoc  vero 
uno  infelix,  quod  per  annos  fere  150  pontihces  cireitcr  50  a  virtute 
majorum  prorfus  defecerint,  Apota(!:lici  ApoAaticivc  potius  quam 
ApoUilici.  Genebrard.  Chon.  Lib.  4.  In  initio  x.  Site.  Uffer.  de 
Chrillian.  Ecclef.  fuccefiione  et  ilatu.  Cap.  2.  Seft.  34.  Spanhemii 
Hilt.  ChriiUan.  Sa:c.  x.  Cap.  3.  SedL  1. 


THE     PROPHECIE.8 


249 


of  Turin ;  and  his  doclines  took  fuch  deep  root  efpcciallv  in 
the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  that  they  continued  to  fljuriOi  there 
for  fomc  centuries,  as  the  Papifts  themfelves  acknowledge. 

The  tenth  century  even  the  writers  of  the  Romiih  co'nmu- 
nion  lament   and  delbribe  as  the  mod  debauched  and  wicked, 
the  mofl  illiterate  and  ignorant  agefince  the  coming  of  Chrift. 
Genebrard    fays    "  This    is  called   the   unhappy   age,  being 
"  deilitute  of  men  famous  for  wit  and  learning,  as  alio  of  fa- 
"  mous   princes    and    Popes;  in   which  fcarce  anything  was 
"  done   worthy  of  the   memory   of  poilerity."     He  fubjoins^ 
"  But  chiefly   unhappy  in  this  one  thing,  that  for  almoir  one 
"  hundred  and  fifty  years  about  fifty  Popes  totally  degenerated 
"  from  the   virtue  of   their   anceftors,  being  more  like  apof- 
''  ftates  than  apoflles.'*    Baronius  himfelf  (/>)  denominates  it  an 
iroriy  a  leaden^  and  obfcure  age :  and  declares  that  "  Chrill  was 
"  then,  as  it  appears,  in  a  very  deep  flcep,  when  the  fliip  was 
"  covered  with  waves ;  and  what  feemed  worfe,  when  the  Lord 
"  was  thus  afieep,  there   were  wanting  dil'ciples  who  by  their 
"  cries  might  awaken   him,  being  themfelves  all  fail  aileep." 
It.  is  not  to  be  wondered,  that  in  fo  long  and  dark  a  night  as 
this,  while  all  wereaflcep,  the  futtle  enemy  fbould  fowhis  tares 
in  great  abundance.     However  there  were  fome  few  Hke  lights 
Jhining  in  a  dark  place^  who  remonftrated  againft  the  degenera- 
cy and  fuperftition  of  the  times.     The  refolutions  and  decrees- 
of  the  councils   of  Francfort  and  Paris  againft  the  worlhip  of 
imao;es  [h)  had  ftill  fome  force  and  influence  in  Germany,  ia 
France,  in  England,  and  other  countries.     In  the  former  part 
of  this  century,  in  the  year  nine  hundred  and  nine,  a  council 
{c)  was  held  atTrofly,   a  village  near  SoilTonsin  France  :  and 
having  made  feveral  wife  and  good  reg^ulations,  they  conclud- 
ed v/ith  a  profeflion  of  the  things,  which  Chriftlans  ought  to 
believe  and  practife :  and  in  that  profeflion  are  none  of  th^fe 
Vol.  II.  I  i 

[a]  En  novum  inchoatur  fxculum,  quod  fai  afperitate  ac  boni  lle- 
rilitate  ferreum,  malique  exundantis  deformitaie  piumbeum,  aiquc 
inopia  fcriptorum  appellari  confuevit  obicurum.  Baron,  ad  aun. 
900.  Dormiebat  tunc,  plane  alto  (ut  apparet)  fopore  Chrilius,  cum 
navis  fludibus  operiretur:  Et  quod  deterius  vidcbatur,  de  erant 
qui  Dominum  fic.  dormientem  clamoribus  excitaient  difcipuli,  fter- 
tentibus  omnibus.  Ibid.  ad.  ann.  912.  UfTcr.  ibid.  Spankcin.  ibid. 

{q)  Spanheim.  ibid.  Cap.  6.  Scft.  8.  Hill.  Imag.  Scdt.  9. 

(fj  Tom.  3.  Concil.  Gallic.  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  %.  Sea.  3. 
Dupin  X.  Siecle.  Chap.  3. 


250        DISSERTATIONS     on 

things  which  conftitute  the  fum  of  popifli  dotS^rine,  nothing 
of  the  Pope's  being  head  of  the  church,  nothing  of  the  daily 
facrifice  of  the  mafs,  or  of  purgatory,  or  of  the  worfhip  of 
creatures,  or  of  commentitious  facraments,  or  of  confeiTion  to 
the  prieft,  put  of  pure  and  fincere  confeHlon  to  God  :  fo  much 
did  this  council  differ  from   the  fpirit  and  principles  of  the 
council  of  Trent.     Many   churches  (a)  ftill  retained  the   ufe 
of  the  fcriptures  in  the  vulgar  tongue:  and  in  England  .parti- 
cularly Atelftan  caufed  them  to  be  tranflated  into  the  Englo- 
Saxon  idiom.     Great  oppofition  (b)  was  alfo  made  in  feveral 
countries  to  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy;  and  feveral  councils 
were  held  upon  the  controverfy  between  the   monks  and  the 
fecular  clergy,  and  particularly  in  England,  where  Elfere  earl 
of  Mercia  expelled  the  monks  out  of  the  monafteries  in  that 
province,  and  introduced  the  clergy  with  their  wives.     Many 
too  even  in  this  age  denied  the  du6lrine  of  tranfubftantiation. 
Heriger  abbot  of  Lobes  near  Liege  (c)  wrote  exprefsly  againft 
it;  as  did  alfo  (r)  Aifric  in  England,  whofe   homily  for  eafter 
ufed  to  be  read  publicly  in  the  churches.     His  principal  aim 
therein  (d)  is  to  prove,  "  that  we  fpiritually  tafte  the  body  of 
«  Chrift,  and  drink  his  blood,  when  with  true  faith  we  par- 
*^  take  of  that  holy  facrament;  the  bread  and  wine  cannot  by 
*'  any  benediction   be  changed  into   the  body    and  blood  of 
"  Chrlfl:,  thev   are  Indeed   the  body  and  blood  of  Chrift,  yet 
<'  not  corporally,  but  fpiritually ;"  with  much   more  to  the 
fame  purpofe.     He  wrote  alfo  two  cpiftles,  the  one  addrefled 
to  Wulfin  bifhop  of  Shirburn,  and  the  other  to  Wulfftan  arch- 
bifhop  of  York,  wherein  he  afferts  the  fame  do6lrine.     In  the 

{a)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  6.  Seel.  2  et  10.  Scripturas  divinas  verti 
fecit  in  Anglo-Saxonicum  idioma.  Wilh.  Maimef.  et  Belseus. 

(6)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Se6l.  5,  Spelmanni  Concil.  iBrit.  Vol.  I.  Col- 
lier's Ecclef.  Hift.  B.  3.  P.  199. 

(r)  Sigebert  de  Ecclefiaft.  Script.  Cap.  138.  Uffer.  ibid.  Se6l. 
30.  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  7.  Sedl.  3.  Dupin.  ibid.  Chap.  4. 

{d)  Uffer.  ibid.  Se6l.2o,  21.  Spanhem.  ibid.  Se(S.  2.  Dupin.  ibid. 
Chap.  5.  Cave  Hift.  Litt.  Vol.  IL  P.  108,  &c.  Collier's  Ecclefiaft. 
Hift.  B.  3.  P.  204,  &c. 

^e)  — id  penc  unice  agit,  "  ut  oftendat  nos  fpiritualiter  corpus 
**  Chrifti  gurtare  ejufque  fanguinenl  bibere,  cum  vera  fide  facram 
**  illam  guftamus  cucharilHam  ;  panem  et  vinum  non  pofle  per 
•'  uUam  benedidionem  in  Chrifti  corpus  et  fanguinem  mutari  ; 
•'  vere  quidem  Chrifti  corpus  et  fang;uinem  efle,  non  tamen  corpa- 
'*  r^liter,  fed  fpiritualiter  ;  &c."  Cave  ibid.  P.  1 10. 


THE    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  251 

former  he  thus  (a)  explains  the  dodtrine  of    the   facrament; 
".The  hoft  is  the  body  of  Chrift,  not  corporally,  but  fpirituallv, 
"  Not  the  body  in  which  he  fuffcrcd;    but  the  body  of   which 
"  he  fpake,  when  he  confecratcd  the  bread  and  wine  the  night 
"  preceding   his  pafTion,    and   faid  of    the  confccrated  bread, 
"    This  is  my  body,  and  again  of  the  confecrated  wine,    This 
"  is  my  blood,    which  is  Ihed  for  many  for  the   remifTion  of 
"  fins."      In  the  latter   he  hath  thefe  {!))   memorable  words, 
which  fome  papifts  of  more  zeal  than  knowledge  attempted  to 
erafe  out  of  ihe  manufcript  copy.      "  Yet  this  facrifice  is  not 
"  made  his  body  in  which  he  fufFered  for  us,    nor  his  blood 
*'  which  he  poured  out  for  us,    but  it   is   fpiritually  made  his 
**  body  and  blood ;    as  the  manna  which  rained  from  heaven, 
^  and  the  water  which  flowed  from  the  rock,  as  Paul  the  apof- 
"  tie  faith."     The  fynods  and  councils,    which  were  held  in 
this  age  by  the  authority  of  kings  and  bifhops,    fhow  evident- 
ly that  the  power  of  the   Pope  had  not  yet  extended  over  all. 
Nay  there  were  kings  and  bifhops  who  oppofed  the  fuprema- 
cy  of   the    Pope  ;    and  none   more   than    (c)    the   council  of 
Rheims  in  the  year  nine  hundred  and  ninety-one,    and   Ger- 
bert  archbifhop  of    Rheims,    who  declared  ."  that  if  the  Pope, 
"  did  amifs,  he  wa*s  liable  to  the  cenfures  of  the  church:"  and 
fpeaking  of  the  Pope  then  reigning  John  XV.   "  What,"    fays 
he,    '.'  do  you  conceive  this  man,    fitting  on  a  lofty  throne, 
"  glittering  in  purple  cloathing  and  in  gold,   what,  fay  I,    do 
"  you  conceive  him  to  be  ?    If  he  is  deftltute  of  charity,  and 

(a)  Hoftia  ilia  efl  Chrifti  corpus  non  corporaliter,  fed  fpiritua- 
liter.  Non  corpus  in  quo  paiTus  ell ;  fed  corpus  do  quo  locutas  ell» 
quando  panem  et  vinam,  ea  qus  paflionem  antecefTit  nodle,  in  hofti- 
am  confecravit :  et  de  facrato  pane  dixit.  Hoc  eit  corpus  meum  ; 
rurfumque  de  facro  vino.  Hie  eil  fanguis  meus,  qui  quo  multis  ef- 
funditur  in  remifiionem  peccatorum.  Apud  UiTer.  ibid.  Sed.  21. 

(6)  Non  fit  tamen  hoc  facrificiam  corpus  ejus  in  quo  palTus  ell 
pro  nobis,  neque  fanguis  ejus  quern  pro  nobis  effudit,  fed  fpiritua- 
liter  corpus  ejus  eificitur  et  fanguis  :  ficut  manna  quod  de  cxlo 
pluit.  et  aqua  quae  de  petra  fluxit,  Iicut  Paulus  apoflolus  ait.  Apud 
Ufler.  ibid,  et  Cave  ibid. 

(c)  Spanhem.  ex  Baronioad  ann.  992.  Num.  10.  &c.etcxEpift. 
Gerberti.  Si  peccaverit,  fubefTe  judicio  ccclefi^e. — Quid  hunc,  reve- 
rendi  patres,  in  fublimi  folio  refidentem,  velte  purpurea  etauro  ra- 
diantem,  quid  hunc,  inquam,  efle  cenfctis  ?  Nimirum  fi  charitate 
dellituitur,  folaque  fcientia  inflaturet  extollitur,  Antichriftus  eft  in 
templo  Dei  fedens,  et  fe  ollendens  tanquam  fit  Deus.  Cap.  6.  Sed. 
3,  Sec.  Dupin.  ibid.  Chap.  5.  See  alfo  Allix's  Remarks  upon  the 
ancient  churches  of  the  Albigenfes,  Chap.  10. 


252        DISSERTATIONS    on 

*'  is  puffed  up  by  knowledge  alone,  he  is  Antichrift  fitting  in 
«  the  temple  of  God,  and  fliowing  himfelf  that' he  is  God/* 
He  was  afterwards  himfelf  chofen  Pope  under  the  name  of 
Sylvefter  II.  and  pofTibly  the  change  of  his  fituation  might 
produce  a  change  in  his  fentiments. 

Much  of  the  fame  complexion  with  the  tenth  was  the  eleventh 
century,  equally  funk  in  profligacy,  fuperftition,  and  ignorance, 
but  yet  not  without  fome  fuperior  fpirits  to  bear  teftimony 
againft  it.  The  papal  power  was  in  this  century  carried  beyond 
all  bounds  by  the  ambition  and  arrogance  of  the  reigning  Popes, 
and  particularly  by  the  violence  and  haughtinefs  of  Gregory 
VII.  whofe  former  name  was  Hildebrand,  or  Hell-brandy  as 
he  hath  often  been  denominated.  But  yet  there  were  empe- 
rors and  councils,  who  ftrenuoully  oppofed  the  pretenfions  and 
ufurpations  of  the  fee  of  Rome ;  and  thefe  contefts  and  ftrug^ 
gles  between  the  Popes  and  Emperors  about  the  right  of  in- 
veftitures  and  other  articles,  make  a  principal  part  of  the  hif- 
tory  of  this  age.  Our  Englifh  kings,  devoted  as  they  were  to 
the  religion,  vet  would  not  entirely  fubrnit  to  the  authority  of 
the  bifhop  of  Rome ;  but  contradicted  it  in  feveral  inflances. 
When  VVilliam  I.  was  required  by  thePop^e  to  pay  him  hom- 
age, he  made  (^)  anfwer,  "  To  pay  hom.age  I  have  been  un- 
"  willing,  nor  am  I  willing  ;  for  neither  did  I  promife  it,  nei- 
*'  ther  do  I  find  that  my  predeceflbrs  paid  it  to  your  prede- 
"  ceffors."  His  fon  VVilliam  Rufus  exerted  fomewhat  of  the 
fame  fpirit,  and  [h)  infifted  that  the  Pope,  without  his  permif- 
fion,  had  no  manner  of  jurifdi6lion  in  England.  Early  in  this 
century,  there  (r)  appeared  at  Orleans  fome  heretics,  as  thev 
were  called,  who  maintained  that  the  confecration  of  the  prieft 
could  not  change  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  body  and  blood 
of  Chrift,  and  that  it  was  unprofitable  to  pray  to  faints  and 
angels  ;  and  they  were  condemned  by  the  council  of  Orleans 
in  the  year  one  thoufand  and  feventeen.  Not  long  after  tliefe 
{d)  appeared  other  heretics   of   the   fame    ftamp  in   Inlanders, 


(fl)  Fidelitatem  facere.nolui,  nee  volo  ;  quia  nee  ego  promifi, 
nee  anteceffores  mens  anteceflbribus  tuis  id  feciife  comperio.  Apud 
Baron  Ann.  1079.  Se6l.  25.  Uffer.  de  Chriftian.  Ecclef.  fuccefTione 
et  ftatu.  Cap.  7.  Sed.  9. 

{b)  Eadmer.  Ilift.  Lib.  2.  Collier's  Ecclef.  rfift.  B.  4.  P.  279. 

{c)  Dupin  xi.  Siecle.  Chap.  13.  Fred.  SpanhemiiHill.  ChrilHan.. 
Saecxi.  Cap.  10.  Sed.  i. 

{d)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Dupin.  ibid.  Allix's  Remarks  upon  the  an- 
cient church  of  Fiedmoni.  Chap.  n. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  25j 

who  were  alfo  condemned  by  the  fynod  of  Arras    in  the  vcar 
one  thoufand  and   twenty-five.      They   came   originally   from 
Italy,  where  they  had  been  the  diiciples  of  Gundulphus ;    and 
.they  are  faid  to  have  admitted  no  fcripture  but  the  gofpels  and 
apoftolical  writings  ;    to  liave  denied  the  reality  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Chrift   in  the  eucharift  ;    to  have  attributed  no 
religious  worfhip  to  the  holy   confeflbrs,    none  to  the  crofs, 
none  to  images,  nor  to  temples  nor  altars  :    and  to  have  allbrt- 
ed,  that  there  Vv^as  no  purgatory,  and  that  penances  after  death 
could  not  abfolve  the  deceafed  from  their  fins.      Other   tencti 
were  afcribed  to  them,   which   were  really  heretical  :    and  per- 
haps they  might  hold  fome  errors,  as  well  as  fome  truths  ;    or 
perhaps  their    adverfaries,    as  it  hath  been  their  ufual  artifice, 
might  lay  things  to  their  charge  merely  to  blacken  and  defame 
them.     Not  long  after  thefe  [a)  arofe  the  famous  Bcrengarius, 
a  native  of  Tours,  and  archdeacon  of  Angers,  who  more  pro- 
fefl'edly  wrote  againft  the  dodfine   of  tranfubftantiation  ;    and 
alfo  (/>)  called  "  the  church  of    Rome  a  church  of  malignants, 
"  the  council  of  vanity,  and  the  feat  of  Satan."     It  is  true  that 
he  was  compelled  by  the  authority   of   Popes  and    councils  to 
renounce,  abjure,  and   burn  his   writings.      But  his  was  all  a 
forced,  and  not  in  the  leaft  a  voluntary  recantation.      As  often 
as  he  recanted,  he  relapfed  again.     He  returned  like  a  dog  to 
his  vomit,  as  a   (t )   contemporary  popifli  writer  expreileth  it. 
He  lived  and  died   in  the  fame  fentinients.       His  herefy  was 
from  him  called    the    Berengarian   herefy  ;    and  his  followers 
were  fo  numerous,  that  as  (^/)  old  liiftorians  relate,  he  had  cor- 
rupted almoft  all  the  French,    Italians,    and  Engliih  with  his 
depravities.      When  Gregory   VII.   had,  both  by  letters  and 
by  a  council  held  at  Rome  in  the  year  one  thoufand  and  feven- 
ty-four,  ftridly  forbidden  the  marriage  of  the  clergy,    it  raifed 

{a)  Uffcr.  ibid.  Cap.  7.  Seft.  24,  &c.  Dupia.  ibid.  Chap.  z. 
Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  8,   S^c.  Sc<i. 

[h)  Ecclefiam  Romanum,  eccleriammalignc.ntiam concilium  vani- 
tatis,  et  fedem  Satana;  vocabat.  Guliclm.  Reginald.  Calvino  Tur- 
cifm.Lib.  2.  Cap.  5.  Ulfer.  ibid.  Sed.  24 

U)  Qui  licet  eandem  hcercfin  fxpifiime  in  fynodo  abjuravic,  aJ 
vomitum  tamen  fiiun^i  canio  more  non  expavit  redire.  Bertoldui 
Conitantienfis  prcfbyter  apud  Uffer.  ibid.  Sed.  34. 

(//)  Eodem  tempore,  Bercngarius  Turonenfis,  in  hxreticam  pro- 
lapfus  pravitatem,  umncs  Gallos,  Italos,  et  Anglos,  fuisjampcne 
corrupcrat  pravitatibus.  Matt.  Weftmonall,  ct  Hiit.  Koffcn.  in  anno 
loii:-.  toiler,  ibid.  Sea.  27. 


254        DISSERTATIONS     on 

(a)  great  commotions  among  the  ccclefiaftics  In  Germany; 
who  not  only  complained  of  the  Pope  far  Impofmg  this  yoke, 
but  likewife  accufed  him  of  advancing  a  notion  infupportable, 
»nd  contrary  to  the  words  of  our  Saviour,  who  faith  that  all. 
are  not  able  to  live  in  continence,  and  to  the  words  of  the  apof- 
tle,  who  ordereth  thofe  who  have  not  the  gift  of  continence 
to  marry.  They  added  that  this  law,  in  forcing  the  ordinary 
courfe  of  nature,  would  be  the  caufe  of  great  diforders  ;  that 
they  would  rather  renounce  the  priefthood  than  marriage ;  and 
the  Pope  fhould  provide,  if  he  could,  angels  to  govern  the 
church,  fmcehe  refufed  to  be  ferved  by  men.  This  was  the 
language  of  thefe  corrupt  ecclefiaflics,  as  [b)  Dupin  hath 
called  them :  but  the  decree  of  the  Pope  was  no  lefs  oppofed 
in  France,  in  Flanders,  in  Italy,  and  England,  than  in  Ger- 
;nany.  A  council  was  held  at  Winchefter,  in  the  year  one 
thousand  and  feventy-iix,  wherein  it  was  (c)  decreed  indeed, 
that  no  canon  fhould  marry  j  but  the  priefts  in  the  country, 
who  were  already  married,  were  allowed  to  cohabit  with  their 
wives  ;  whereas  the  Pope  had  enjoined  all  priefts  without  dif- 
tin(3:ion  to  put  away  their  wives,  or  to  forbear  the  exercife  of 
their  office.  Whereupon  Air.  Collier  hath  made  this  juft  re- 
fle6tion :  "  From  hence  it  appears  that  the  papal  fupremacy  had 
"  not  reached  its  zenith  in  this  century,  and  that  the  Englifh 
"  bifhops  did  not  believe  the  patriarchal  power  arbitrary  and 
"  unlimited,  but  that  a  national  church  had  fome  referves  of 
"  liberty,  and  might  difTentfrom  the  conftitutions  of  the  fee  of 
"  Rome  upon  occafion." 

Europe  hitherto  was  involved  in  the  dark  night  of  popery, 
with  only  fome  flars  appearing  here  and  there  in  the  horizon  ; 
but  in  the  /^^^/// century  there  began  to  be  vifible  fome  ftreaks 
of  the  morning  light,  fome  dawnings  of  a  reformation.  Here 
in  England,  during  the  reign  of  Henry'  II.  the  famous  con- 
ftitutions of  Clarendon  were  fworu  to  and  figned  both  by  the 
clergy  and  the  laity,  in  recognitjon  of  the  riejhts  of  the  crown, 
particularly  forbidding  all  appeals  to  Rome  without  the  king's 
licence,  and  appointing  the  trial  of  criminal  clerks  before  fecu- 
lar  judges:  But  the  boil  account  of  this,  as  wellasof  the  other 
memorable  tranfadions  of  this  reign,  the  public  experts,  witli 

{a)  Dupin.  ibid.  Chap.  5.  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  7.  Seft.  4. 

(6)  C'eft  ainfi  que  ccs  ccclcfiaiUques  corrompus  parloient.  Dupin. 
ibid.  P.  36. 

(V)  Collier's  Eccleli.ill:.  Hift.  B.  4.  P.  243,  249.  Spslmanni 
Cpncii.  Vol.  II. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  255 

fome  Impatience,   from  one  of  the  moft  maftcrly  and  elegant 
writers  of  the  prcfent  age,  a  friend   to    reHgion    and  virtue,  a 
friend  to  liberty  and   his  country;   and  the  public  expectations 
have  been  fmce  fully  anfwcrcd.     Flucntius  bifhop  of  Florence 
{a)  taught  publicly,  that  Antichrift  vi'as  born,  and  come  into  the 
world  ;  whereupon  Pope  Pafchal  II.  went  to  Florence,  held  a 
council  there  in  the  year  one  thoufand  one  hundred  and  five,  and 
feverely  reprimanded  the  bifhop,  and  ftrit^ly  forbad  him  to  preach 
any  fuch  doctrine.   St.  Bernard  himfelf,  devoted  as  he  was  and  hi- 
gotted  to  the  church  of  Rome  in  other  refpedfs,  {b)  vet  inveighed 
loudly  againft  the  corruption  of  the  clergy,  and  the  pride  and  ty- 
ranny of  the  Popes,  faying  that  they  were  the  minifters  of  Chrift 
and  ferved  Antichrift,  that  nothing  remained  but  that  the  man  of 
fin  fhould  be  revealed;  that  the  beaft  in  the  Apocalyps  occupied 
St.  Peter's  chair,  with  other  expreifions  to  the  fame  efPeCt.  While 
our  King  Richard  I.  was  at  Meflina  in  Sicily,  going  upon  his 
expedition  to  the  holy  land,  he  (c)  fent  for  the  famous  abbot  Joa- 
chim of  Calabria,  and  heard  him  with  muchfatisfaCtion  explain 
the  Apocalyps,  and  difcourfe  of  Antichrift.     He  faid  that  Anti- 
chrift was  already  born  in  the  city  of  Rome,  and  that  he  would 
be  advanced  to  the  apoftolical  chair,  and  exalted  above  ail  that 
is  called  God  or  is  worfiipped.    So  that  fome  true  notion  of  Anti- 
chrift began  to  fpread  even  among  the  members  of  the  church 
of  Rome  ;  and  no  wonder  it  prevailed  among  thofe,  who  more 
dire6fly  oppofed  the  doctrines  of  that  church.     Peter  de  Bruis 
and  Henry  his  difciple  (^)  taught  in  Several  parts  of  France, 

(«)  Platna  in  vita  Pafchal.  ii.-  Spanhemii  Hift.  Chriftian.  Srec. 
xii.  Cap.  5.  Seft.  2.  Cave  Hift.  Litt.  Sasc.  xii.  Concila.  Vol.  II.  P. 
258.  Calmet.  Dift.  in  Antichrist. 

{b)  Spanheim.  ibid.  Uffer  de  Chrillian.  Ecclef.  fuccefiione  et  fta- 
tu.  Cap.  7,  Se£l.  5,  6. 

(r)  Rogeri  de  hoveden  Annal.  Pars  Pofterior  P.  681.  Edit.  Fran- 
cof.  1 60 1.  Jam  natus  eft  in  civitate  Romana,  et  in  fede  apoftolica 
fublimabatur,  &c.  Collier's  Ecclef.  Hift.  B.  6.  P.  401. 

{d)  Corpus  et  fanguinem  Chrifti  in  theatrica  miffa  non  ofFerri. 
Dodrinam  de  fpeciebus  facramenti,  ipfis  nimirum  fubftantiis  muta- 
tis, ^^Q  falfam.  Sacraficia,  id  eft  miflas,  orationcs,  eleemofynas,  et 
reliqua  vivorum  opera  pro  defunflis,  efTe  ftuUitiam  et  impietatem 
nihilque  eis  prodeffe.  Sacerdotcs  et  monachos  debere  uxores  poiius 
ducere,  quam  comburi.  Cruces  non  adorandaes  aut  venerandas  :  ct 
totcruces  fuperftitioni  fervientes,  potius  amovendas  quam  retinen- 
das,  &c.  Hift.  Ecc.  Magdeburg.  Vol.  III.  Cent.  xii.  Cap.  5.  P.331. 
&c.  Edit.  Bafd.  1624.  Spanheim.  ibid.  Cap.  7.  Sed.  2.  Dupin.  xii. 
Siccle.  Chap.  6.  Allix's  Remarks  upon  the  ancient  churches  of  the 
Albigenfes,  Chap.  14, 


256"       D  I  S  5  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S 


O  N 


that  "the  body  and  blood  of  Chrlft  v/ere  not  offered  in  the 
«  theatrical  mafs  ;  that  the  doctrine  of  the  change  of  the  fub- 
«'  ftancesinthe  facrament  is  falfe  ;  that   facritices,  that  is  maf- 
"  fes,  pravers,  alms,  and  other  works  of  the  living  for  the  dead 
«  are  fooliih  and  impious,  and  profit  them  nothing  ;  that  priefts 
"  and  monks  ought  rather  to  marry  than  to  burn  ;  that  crolles 
"  are  not  to  be  adored,  or  venerated,  and  fo  many  croiFes,  ferv- 
"  ino-  to  fuperftition,  ought  rather  to  be  removed  than  retain- 
«  ed^:*'  and  they  both  were  m.artyrs,  the  one  being  burntj    and 
the  other   im.prifoncd  for  life;    on  account  of   their  do6i:rines. 
Other  herefies  were  laid  to  their  charge,  and  their  own  writings 
are  not  extant  to  Ipeak  for  them;  but  thei^j  things   they  taught 
and  profeiled,  their  enemies  themfelvcs  being  judges.      Arnold 
of  Brelbia  (a)  held  opinions  contrary  to  thofe  of    the  church 
concerning  the  facrament,    and  preached  mightily  againft   the 
temporal  power  and  jurifdicfion  of    the  Pope  and  the  clergy  ; 
for  which  he  was  burnt  at  Rome  in  the  year  one  thoufand  one 
hundred  and  hfty-iive,    and  his    afhes  were   thrown  into  the 
Tyber,  to  prevent  the  people  from   exprelling  any   veneration 
for  his  relics.      But  the   true  witneffes,    and  as  I   ma v  fay  the 
proteftants  of    this  age,    were  the  Waldenfes  and  Albigenfes, 
who  beo-an  to  be  famous  at  this  time,  and  being  difperfed  into 
various^  places    were  diftinguifhed   by    various     appellations. 
Their  firfl:  and  proper   name  feemeth   to  have    been  Fallenfesy 
or  inhabitants  of   the  vallies  ;    and  fo  faith    {b)   one  of    the 
oldeft  writers,  Ebrard  of  Bethune,  who  wrote  in  the  year  one 
thoufand  tvyo  hundred  and  twelve  ;    "  l^hey  called  themfelves 
"  Fallenfes^  bccaufe  they  abide  in  the  valley  of  tears,"     allud- 
ino;  to  their  fituation  in  the  vallies  of  Piedmont.      They  were 
caFled    Jlbigenfcs   from    Alby  a  city  in,  the  fouthern  pans  of 
France,  v/lierealfo  great  numbers  of  them  were  fituated.   They 
were    afterwards   denominated    Valdenfes    or    Waldenfes^  from 
Peter  Valdo  or  Waldo,  a  rich  citizen  of    Lyons,  and  a  confi- 
derable  leader  of  the  fed.      From  Lyons   too   they  were  called 
Leonijh,  and  6V^/;^r/ from  the  profelTed  purity  of  their  life  and 
doctrine,  as  others  fuice  have  had  the   name   oi  Puritans.     As 


(fl)  Otho  Frinng  de  Gcfcis  Frederici.  Lib.  i.  Spanhem.  ibid. 
Cap.  7.  Sedl.  4.  Uupin.  ibid.  Aliix's  Remarks  an  the  ancient 
church  of  Piedmont.  Chap.  18. 

{b)  Vallenfes  fe  appellant,  eo  quod  in  valle  lachrymarum  man- 
eant.  Ebrard.  Beth.  Antihicrcf.  Cap.  25.  Ulfer.  ibid.  C.ip.  S. 
be<ft.  4-.     AUix.  ibid. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


257 


there  was  a  variety  of  names,  fo  there  might  be  fome  dlverfity  of 
opinions  among  them ;  but  that  they  were  not  guilty  of  iVIaiiiche- 
ifm  and  other  abominable  herefies,  which  have  been  charged  up- 
on them,  is  certain  and  evident  from  all  the  remains  of  their 
creeds,  confeflions,and  writings.  Their  opinions  {a)  .ire  thus  re- 
cited from  an  old  manufcript  by  the  Centuriators  of  Magdtburgh. 
"  In  articles  of  faith  the  authority  6i'  the  holy  fcripturc  is 
"  the  higheft,  and  for  that  reafon  it  is  the  rule  of  judging; 
Vol.  II.  K  k 

(a)  In  articalis  lidei  fummam  effe  facrx  fcripturs  aiuhoriiatem, 
eamque  ob  caufam  e/Te  illam  normam  judicandi :  ut  quicquid  cum 
verboDei  non  congruat,  merito  fit  repudianduni  et  fugiendum. 

Patrum  et  conciliorum  dogmata  eatenus  probanda,  quatenus  cum 
verbo  Dei  conveniunt. 

Sacraruni  fcripturarum  leftionem  et  cognkionem,  omnibus  homi- 
nibus,  tumlaicis,  turn  facratis  viris,  liberam  et  neceifariam  ene ;  imo 
potius  prophetarum  et  apoftolorum  monumenta  legenda  effe,  quam 
hominum  commenta. 

Duo  cKq  ecciefis  Chrifti  facramenta,  baptifmum  et  cacnam  Do- 
mini. 

Utriufque  fpeciei  ufum,  pro  facerdotibus  et  laicls,  a  Chriflo  in- 
ftitutumeffe. 

MiiTas  effe  impias  ;  ac  furorum  efle,  pro  mortuis  mliTincare. 

Purgatorium  efle  figmenturn  hominum ;  credentes  enim,  in  virtam 
seternam,  non  credentes  autem,  in  damnationem  aeternam  venire. 

Sanflorum  mortuorum  invocaiiones  et  cultum,  eflc  idololatriam. 

Romanam  ecclefiam  efle  meretricem  Babylonicam. 

Papae  et  epifcopis  non  obtemperandum ;  quia  fmt  lupi  ecclefi^e 
Chriili. 

Papam  non  habere  primatum  fuper  omnes  ecclcfias  Chriili,  nee 
habere  potellatem  utriufque  gladii. 

Ecclefiam  Chrifti  efle,  quae  fmcerum  Chrifti  verbum  audiat,  et  fa- 
cramentis  ab  ipfo  inftitutis  utatur,  ubicuuque  locorum  ea  exfiftat. 

Vota  efl^e  hominum  figmenta,  Sodomam  nutrientia. 

Tot  ordines  efle  tot  charaderes  befti^. 

Monochatum  eflTe  cadaver  fxtidum. 

Templorum  tot  fuperftitiofas  dedicationes,  memorlas  mortuo- 
rum, benedidiones  creaturarum,  peregrinationes,  tot  coada  jejuma, 
tot  fefta  fuperflua,  perpetuos  iftos  hominum  indodoruin  boatas,  ac 
reliquarum  cercmoniarum  obfervationes,  verbi  dodrinam  et  mftitu- 
tionmem  manifefte  impedientes,  eflTe  inventiones  diabolicas. 

Conjugium  facerdotum  efle  licitum  et  neceflarium. 

Hsc  ex  antiquo  manufcripto  libro  proferimus.  HJlt-  cede  . 
Magdeburgh.  Vol.  III.  Cent.  xii.  Cap.  8.  P.  54^'  549-  ^'f^^:  ^f  h 
1624.  See  alfo  the  Confefilon  of  the  faith  of  tiie  V/aldcdcs  in  Ver^ 
Jin's  Hift.  B.  1.  Chap,  12,  Ccc. 


25§        DISSERTATIONS    on 

"  (o  that  whatfoever  agreeth  not  with  the  word  of  God,  is  dc- 
*'  fervedly  to  be  rejected  and  avoided. 

"  The  decrees  of  fathers  and  councils  are  fo  far  to  be  ^p- 
"  proved,  as  they  agree  with  the  word  of  God. 

"  The  reading  and  knowlege  of  the  holy  fcriptures  is  free 
*'  and  necelTary  for  all  men,  the  laity  as  well  as  the  clergy  > 
"  yea  and  the  writings  of  the  prophets  and  the  apoftles  are  to  be 
"  read  rather  than  the  comments  of  men. 

"  The  facraments  of  th.e  church  of  Chrift  are  two,  baptifm 
"  and  the  fupper  of  the  Lord. 

"  The  receiving  in  both  kinds  for  priefls  and  people  was  in- 
"  ilituted  by  Chrilt. 

"  Alalfes  are  impious;  and  it  is  madnefs  to  fay  mafies  for 
"  the  dead. 

"  Purgatory  is  an  invention  of  men;  for  they  who  believe,  gb 
"  into  eternal  life,  they  v/ho  believe  not,  into  eternal  damnation. 

"  The  invocation  and  worftiipping  of  dead  faints  is  idolatry. 

"  The  church  of  Rome  is  the  whore  of  Babylon. 

"  We  mull  not  obey  the  pope  and  bifhops;  becaufe  they 
"  are  the  wolves  of  the  church  of  Chrift. 

"  The  Pope  hath  not  the  primacy  over  all  the  churches  of 
"  Chrift,  neither  hath  he  the  power  of  both  fwords. 

"  That  is  the  church  of  Chrift  which  heareth  the  fmcere 
"  word  of  Chrift,  and  ufeth  the  facraments  inftituted  by  him, 
"  in  what  place  foever  it  exift. 

"  Vows  of  celibacy  are  inventions  of  men,  and  occafions  of 
"  Sodomy. 

"So  many  orders  are  ib  many  charaders  of  the  beaft. 

"  Monkery  is  a  ftinking  carcafs. 

"  So  many  fuperftitious  dedications  of  churches,  comme- 
"  morations  of  the  dead,  benedi6tions  of  crea-ures,  pilgra- 
"  mages,  fo  many  forced  faftings,  fo  many  fuperfluous  fefHvals, 
"  tholci  perpetual  bellowings  (meaning  the  iinging  and  chant- 
"  ing)  of  unlearned  men,  and  the  obfervations  of  the  other 
"  ceremonies,  manifeftly  hindering  the  teaching  and  learning 
"  of  the  word,  are  diabolical  inventions. 

"  The  marriage  of  pricfts  is  lawful  and  neceflary." 

Much  hath  been  written  in  cenfure  and  commendation  of  this 
fe(Sl  both  by  enemies  and  friends,  by  papifts  and  proteftants.  If 
they  have  been  grofsly  mifreprefcnted  and  vilified  on  one  fide, 
they  have  been  aniply  vindicated  and  juftified  on  the  other ;  but 
1  will  only  produce  the  teftimonies  of  three  witneftcs  concerning 
them,  whom  both  fides  muft  allow  to  be  unexceptionable,  Rein- 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


59 


crius,  Thuanus,and  Mczercy.     Reinerius  {a)  flourifhed  about 
the  year  one  thouGmd  two  hundred  and  fifty-lour-,  and  his  ttfti- 
mony  is  the  more  remarkable,  as  he  was  a  Dominican,  i^nd  inqui- 
fitor  general.     "  Among  all   the  fe£ts,  which  fUll  arc  or  have 
"  been,  there  is  not  any  more  pernicious  to  the  church  than  that 
"  of  the  Leonifts.     And  this  for  three  reafons.    "Fhe  firft  is,  btr- 
"  caufe  it  is  older;  for  feme  fay  that  it  hath  indured  from  the 
"  time  of  Pope  of  Sylvefter;  others,  from  the  time  of  theapoftlcs. 
^^  The  fecond,  becaufe  it  is  more  general ;   for  there  is  fcarce  any 
(«)  Inter  omnes  fectas,  quie  adhuc  iant  vcl  fueiviut,  non  eii  per- 
niciofior  ecclcfijj  quam  Leoniftarum.    Et  hoc  tribus  de  cauUs.    Pri- 
ma eft,  quia  eft  diuturnior  ;   aiiqui  enim  dicunt,  quad  duraverit  a 
tempore  Sylveftri ;  aiiqui,  a  tempore  apoftolorum.  Secunda,  qui^ 
eft  generaiioF  ;   fere  enim  nulla  eft  terra,  in  qua  ha;c  fcfla  non  fit. 
Tertia,  quia  cum  cmnes  alix  fectzc  immanirate  blafphcmiarum  in 
Deum  audientibus  liorrorem  inducant,  ha?c  Leoniftarum  magnum 
habet  fpeciem  pietatis ;  eo  quad  coram  hominibus  jufte  vivant,  et 
bene  omnia  de  Deo   credant,  et  omnes   aniculos  qui  in.  fymbolo 
continentur;  folummodo  Romanam  ecclefiam  blafphemani  et  cle- 
rum  ;  cui  multirado  laicorum  facilis  eft  ad  credcndum.  lleiner.  con- 
tra Haeret.  Cap.  4.  P.  54.  Edit.  Ingolft.  16 13.  Ufter.  ibid.  Cap.  6. 
Seft.  II.  Cap.  8.  Seft.  1.  Cave  Hift.  Litt.  Vol.  II.  ad  ann.  1244.  P. 
302.     Uflier  hatli  added  other  remarkable  teftimoni.es  concLM-ning 
thxC  morals  of  the  Waldenfes  and  their  followers.     Pontificus  qui- 
dam  inquifitor   [Rerum  Bohem.    Script,  a  Frehero  edit.  P.  231.] 
Leoniftarum  five  vValdenfmm  mores  defcripturus,  hujulmodi  udtur 
praefatiuncula :  Cognofcunter  hseretici  per  mores  et  verba.     Sunt 
enim  in  moribus  compofiti,  et  modefti  :  faperbiam  in  veftibus  noii 
habent,  &c.    Mifcrrima  profefto  tempera  in  quibus  conipofiti  et 
modefti  mores  hsreticorum  haberentur  infignia.     De  iildem  Clau- 
dius Seyfxilius  archiepifcopus  Taurinenfis ;   [Seyfd.  traet.  adver-u-s 
errores  et  feetamWaldenfium.  Edit  Paris.  Ann.  1520.  fol.  9.]  Non- 
nihil  etiam  ad  horurn  Valdenfmm  confirmandam  tolerandamque 
fe^lam  confert,  quod  prreter  ha^c  quns  contra  fidem  religionemque 
noftram  aflumunt,  in  reliquis  ferme  puriorem  quam  c?jteri  Chriftia- 
ni  vitamagunt.     Non  enim  nifi  coadli  jurant,  raroque  qomen  Dei 
in  vanum  proferunt,  promiftaque  fua  bona  tide  implent,  et  in  pau- 
pertate  pars  mixima  degentes,  apoftolican  vitam  doftrinamqae  ier- 
vare  fe  folus  proteftantur  :  ob  idque  poteftatem  ecclefia;  apud  fe,  ye- 
lutinnoxios  etveros  Chrifti  difcipulos,  refidere  affirmant;  procujus 
fide  religioneque  in  egeftate  vivere,  et  a  nobis  perfecutionem  nati, 
pulchrum  et  gloriofum  ducunt.     Fratribus  Bohemis,    Waldenlium 
foboli,  non  diftimile  perhibuit  tellimonium,   qui  fidei  ipforum  fuitr 
inimiciffimus.  Jacobus  Liclenftenius  Dom.inicanus.    [Cit:'tus  a  joa- 
chim  Camerario  de  Ecclef.  Fratr.  Bohem.]  Dico  (inquit)  Q\iod  ia 
moribus  et  vita  boni  funt,  veraces  in  fermone,  in  caritaie  fraiema 
unanimes.     Sed  fides  eorum  eft  incorrigibilis  et  peiTima,  ut  patutt 
in  traftatu  meo.  Uffer.  Cap.  6.  Sed.  1 5 . 


26o        D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  !sf  S     on- 

"  country  wherein  this  k^  is  not.  The  third,  becaufe  when  all 
"  othef  Teds  beget  horror  in  the  hearers  by  the  outrageoufneTs 
"  of  their  blafphemies  againft  God,  this  of  the  Leonilts  hath  a 
"  great  fhow  of  piety;  becaufe  they  live  juftly  before  men,  and 
"  believe  all  things  rightly  concerning  God,  and  all  the  articles 
"  which  are  contained  in  the  creed;  only  they  blafpheme  the 
"  church  of  Pvomeand  the  clergy;  whom  the  multitude  of  the 
"  laity  is  eafy  to  believe."  The  credit  of  Thuanus  as  an  hiflo- 
rian  is  too  well  eftablifhed  to  need  any  recommendation;  and  he 
]s  (^)  fo  candid  and  impartial,  as  to  diftinguifh  between  their  real 
opinions,  and  thofe  herefies  which  were  falfly  imputed  to  them  by 
their  enem.ies.  "  Peter  Valdo  a  wealthy  citizen  of  Lyons  about 
'^  the  year  of  Chrift  onethoufand  one  hundred  and  feventy  gave 
''  name  to  the  Valdenfes.  He  (as  Guy  de  Perplgnan,  bifnop  of 
*'  Elna  in  Rouflilion,  who  exercifed  the  office  of  inquifitor  a- 
''  gainft  the  Valdenfes,  hath  leftteftified  in  writing)  leaving  his 
*'  houfe  and  goods,  devoted  himfelf  wholly  to  the  profefhon  of 
*'  the  gofpel,  and  took  care  to  have  the  writings  of  the  prophets 
"  and  apoftles  tranflated  into  the  vulgar  tongue — When  now 
*'  in  a  little  time  he  had  many  followers  about  him,  he  fent 
''  them  forth  as  his  difciples  into  all  parts  to  propagate  the  gof- 
"  pel — Their  fixed  opinions  were  faid  to  be  thefe  :  that  the 
"  church  of  Rome,  becaufe  flie  hath  renounced  the  true  faith 
<'  of  Chrift,  is  the  whore  of  Babylon,  and  that  barren  tree, 
c'  which  Chrift  himfelf  hath  curfed,    and  commanded  to  be 

(a)  Petrus  Valdus  locuples  civis  Lugdunenfis  anno  Chrifli  circi- 
tcr  MCLXX  Valdennbus  nomen  dedit.  Is  (ut  monumentis  tella- 
tum  reliquit  Vidus  Perpinianus  pra;ful  Elnenfis,  qui  qusefitoris  in 
Valdenfes  mimus  exercuit)  dome  ac  bonis  relidlis  totumfe  evange- 
lical profcffioni  devoverat,  et  prophctarum  atque  apoftolorum  fcrip- 

ta  popular!  liagua  vertenda  curaverat Cum  jam  multos  feftato- 

rais  exiguo  tempore  circa  fc  haheret,  eos  tanquam  difcipulos  ad 
cvangeliumpromulgandum  in  omnes  partes  ablegat — Eorum  hxc 
dogmata  fcrebantur  ;  Ecclefiam  Kcmanam,  quoniam  vera?  Chriili 
fidei  renuiiciaverit,  iiabylonicam  meretricem  effe,  et  arborcm  il- 
lamftcrilem,  quam  ipfc  Chrillus  diris  devovit  et  revellendam  e:Ta 
prxcepit  ;  proinae  minime  parendum  pontirici,  et  epifcopis,  qui 
ejus  errorcs  fovent :  monafticam  vitam  cccleliae  fentinam  ac  Pluto- 
nium eflc  ;  vana  illius  vota,  nee  nifi  f.sdis  pueroram  amoribus  fer- 
vientia  :  preibyteriiordiiies  magna;  beiH.1;,  qux  in  Apocalypfi  com- 
memoratui-,  notas  cli'c  :  ignom  purgatorium,  folemne  facrum,  tem- 
plorum  encasnia,  cuIlJui  uindoruin,  ac  pro  niortuis  propitiatorium, 
vSatan:c  commenta  elil.  His  pra^cipuis  ac  certis  ev)rum  dosStrina; 
capitihus  alia  afiicta,  dc  conjugio,  rcfurrcdionc,  animx  flatu  poft 
mortem,  etdr;  cibis.  Thuani  Hill.  Lib.  6.  Sccl.  16.  Vol.  t.  P.  221. 
Edit.  Bickley. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  26r 

^*  rooted  up ;  tlierefore  we  muft  by  no  means  obey  the  Pope, 
''  and  the  bifhops  who  cherifh  his  errors  :  that  the  moiiaftic 
*'  life  is  the  link  of  the  church,  and  an  helHili  inftitution; 
*^  its  vows  are  vain,  and  fubfervicnt  only  tothe  filthy  love  of 
"  boys  :  the  orders  of  the  prefbytery  are  the  marks  of  the  great 
"  beaft,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  Apocalyps  :  the  fire  of  pur- 
''  gatory,  the  facrifice  of  the  mafs,  the  feafts  of  the  dedica- 
"  tions  of  churches,  the  worfliip  of  faints,  and  propitiations 
"  for  the  dead,  are  inventions  of  Satan.  To  thefe  the  prin- 
"  cipal  and  certain  heads  of  their  doctrine  others  were  feigned 
"  and  added,  concerning  marriage,  the  refurre6lion,  thellate 
''  of  the  foul  after  death,  and  concerning  meats.*'  Mezeray, 
the  celebrated  hiftoriographer  of  France,  is  fhort,  but  full  to 
ourpurpofe;  for  [a)  he  faith,  that  "they  had  r.lmolt  the  fame 
"  opinions  as  thofe  who  are  now  called  Calvinius."  It  cannct 
be  objected  that  this  Is  proteftant  evidence,  for  they  were  all 
three  meiT.bers  of  the  church  of  Rome. 

In  the  thirteenth  century,  the  Waldenfesand  Albigenfes  had 
fpread  and  prevailed  fo  far,  and  were  prevailing  ftill  farther, 
that  the  pope  thought  it  neceffary  to  exert  his  utmoft  efforts  to 
fupprefs  them.  For  this  purpofe  the  firfl  croifade  was  pro- 
claimed of  Chriflians  againlt  Chriflians,  and  the  ofnce  of  in- 
quifition  vi^as  firfl  ere6ted,  the  one  to  fubduc  their  bodies,  the 
other  to  inflave  their  fouls.  It  is  enough  to  make  the  blood 
run  cold,  to  read  of  the  horrid  murders  and  devaflations  of 
this  time,  how  many  of  thefe  poor  and  innocent  Chriflians 
were  facrificed  to  the  blind  fury  and  malice  of  their  enemier. 
It  is  {b)  computed  that  in  France  alone  were  flain  a  million  : 
^nd  what  was  the  confequence  of  thefe  fhocking  barbarities  ? 
No  writer  can  better  inform  us  than  (c)  the  wife  and  moderate 

{a) — avoient  a  pen  pres  les  mefmes  opinions  que  ceux  qu'on 
nomme  aujourd'huy  Calvinifles.  Abrege  Chronol.  Philippe  Au- 
guile.  P.  657.  Ed i:.  Amilerdam  1674. 

{/?)   Vide  Made  in  Apoc.  P.  ^c,^. 

(c)  Contra  quos  [  Valdenfes]  cum  exquilita  fupplicia  parum  pro- 
ficerent,  et  remedio,  quod  interapeftive  adhibitum  fuerat,  malum 
cxacsrharetur,  nunierufque  eorum  in  dies  crefceret,  julli  tandem 
cxercitus  confcripti  funt :  nee  minoris  molis  bellumquam  quod  an- 
tea  noftri  adverfus  Saracenos  gefferant,  contra  eofdem  decretumeft: 
cujus  is  exitus  fait,  ut  potius  casfi,  fagati,  bonis  ac  digiiitatibus 
ubique  fpoliati  atqae  hue  illuc  dilTipati  fmt,  quam  erroris  convidli 
refipuerint.  Itaque  qui  armis  fe  initio  tutatifue rant,  poilremo  ar- 
mis  vifli  in  Provinciam  apud  nos  et  Gallicas  ditionis  Alpcs  vicinas 


262         DISSERTATIONS    on 

hiilorian  Thuanus.  "  Againft  the  Waldenfes  (faith  he)  when 
"  exquiiite  punifhments  availed  little,  and  the  evil  was  exafpe- 
«  rated  by  the  remedy  which  had  been  unfeafonably  applied, 
<'  and  their  number  increaled  daily,  at  length  complete  ar- 
«  mies  were  railed :  and  a  war  of  no  kfs  weight,  than  what 
«  our  people  had  before  waged  againft  the  Saracens,  was  de- 
"  crc-ed  againll  them :  the  event  of  which  was,  that  they  were 
"  rather  ilain,  put  to  flight,  fpoiled  every  where  of  their 
"  goods  and  dignities,  and  difperfed  here  and  there,  than  that 
"  coiivinccd  of  their  error  they  repented.  So  that  they  who 
*'  at  firft  had  defended  themfeives  by  arms,  atlaft  overcome  by 
*^  arms  fied  into  Provence  and  the  neighbouring  Alps  of  the 
"  French  territory,  and  found  a  fheltcr  for  their  life  and  doc- 
"  trine  in  thofc  places.  Part  withdrew  into  Calabria,  andcon- 
"  tinued  there»i  long  while,  even  to  the  pontificate  of  Pious 
"  IV.  Part  palled  into  Germany,  and  fixed  their  abode  among 
"  the  Bohem.ians  and  in  Poland  and  Livonia.  Others  turn- 
"  ing  to  the  weft  obtained  refuge  in  Britain.'"  But  there  were 
others  in  this  age,  who  proceeded  not  fo  far  as  the  Waldenfes 
and  Albigenfes,  and  yet  oppofed  the  church  of  Rpme  in  many 
refpe6ts.  At  the  beginning  of  this  century  [a)  Almerican'd 
his  difciples  were  charged  with  feveral  herefies,  and  were  con- 
demned by  thefecond  council  of  Paris,  in  the  year  one  thou- 
fand  two  hundred  and  nine.  They  might  poflibly  hold  fome 
heterodox  opinions;  but  their  great  oltence  was  their  denying 
the  change  of  the  fubllance  of  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  cucha- 
rift,  their  oppofing  the  worfliip  of  faints,  images  and  relics, 
and  their  affirming  that  the  Po{:>e  was  Antichrift,  that  Rome 
was  Babylon,  and  that  the  prelates  were  the  members  and  mi- 
nifters  of  Antichrift:  Co  that  thefe  differed  little  from  the  V/al- 
denfes  and  Albigenfes.  William  of  St.  Amour,  a  doctor  of 
the  Sorbonne,  {I?)  wrote  atreatife  ij/'  the  perils  of  the  hji  ti?nes, 
wherein  he  applied  that  prophecy  of  St.  Paul,    2  Tim.  iii.  i. 


confugerunt,  latebrafque  vitae  ac  dodrin^-E  fux  iis  in  locis  repere> 
runt.  Pars  in  Calabriam  concefiic,  ineaque  diu,  atquc  adcovifque 
ad  Pti  IV.  pontlficatum,  fe  continuit.  Pars  in  Germaniam  tranfiit, 
atquc  apud  BQ};cmos,  et  in  Polonia  et  Livonia,  larem  hxit.  Alii 
ad  occidentem  verfi  in  Britannia  perfugium  habucrunt.  Thuani 
Praifat.  r.d  Henric  IV.  P.  7.  Ldit.  i]uck:ley. 

[a)  Dupin.  xiii.  Siecle.  Chap.  8.  Spanhcmii  Hill.  Clirian.  Saec. 
xiii.  Cap.  9.  Sci^.  2. 

{6)  Hift.  Ecclefiafl.Magdebarg.Cent.  xiii.  Cap.  10.  P.  588. Edit. 
Bafil.  162^.  Dupin.  ibid.  Chap.  7.Spanheni.  ibid.  Chap.  6.  Seft.  i. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  263 

"  This  know  alfo  that  in  the  laft  days  perilous  times  fliall  come,'* 
to  the  mendicant  orders  and  preachers  of  his  time;  and  it  was  fo 
fevere  afatire  upon  the  Dominicans,  that  Pope  Alexander  IV. 
condemned  it,  as  containing  perverle  ientlments,  contrary  to 
the  power  and  authority  of  the  Roman  pontiff  and  of  the  other 
bifhops,  and  in  fine  as  a  book  capable  of  caufing  great  fcandals 
and  troubles  in  the  church.  Robert  Grofthead  or  Greathead, 
biiliopof  Lincoln,  {a)  in  his  fpeeches  and  writings  inveighed 
bitterly  againft  the  corruption  and  fuperftition,  the  lewdnefs  and 
wickednefs  of  the  clergy  in  general,  and  the  riipacity  and  ava- 
rice, the  tyranny  and  antichriftianifm  of  Pope  Innocent  IV.  in 
particular.  He  was  alfo  no  leis  a  friend  to  (/>)  civil  than  to  re- 
ligious liberty,  and  ordered  all  the  violations  of  Magna  Charta, 
whofoever  and  wherefoevcr  they  vi^ere  v/ithin  his  diocefe,  to  be 
excommunicated.  Matthew  Paris,  a  contemporary  hiftorian, 
hath  (f)  related  the  fubftance  of  his  dying  difcourfes,  wherein 
he  proves  the  Pope  to  be  an  heretic,  and  defervedly  to  be  called 
Antichrift  :  and  concludes  with  oivino-  him  the  chara(5ier  of 
*'  refuter  of  the  Pope,  reprover  of  prelates,  corre6tor  of  monks, 
"  director  of  pi-ieds,  inllructor  of  the  clergy,  and  infhortthe 
"  hammer  to  beac  down  the  Romans  and  to  bring  them  into 
"  contempt."  It  is  no  marvel  that  fuch  a  man  was  excom- 
municated ;  but  he  [J)  little  regarded  the  cenfure,  and  appealed 
from  the  court  of  Innocent  to  the  tribunal  of  Chrift.  Not  to 
mention  others,  Matthew  Paris  himfelf  hath  painted  in  the 
moft  lively  colours  the  corruptions  and  abominations  of  the  fee 
of  Rome,  the  tyranny,  fuperflition,  fimony,  and  wickednefs  of 
the  Popes  and  clergy.  A  proteftant  hiftorian  could  not  more 
freely  iafh  and  expofe  the  vices  of  the  times,  than  he  did  who 
was  a  monk  of  St.  Albans. 

As  they  are  not  all  Ifrael^  which  are  of  Ifrael  -y  fo  neither 
have  all  the  members  of  the  Romiili  church  believed  all  her 
doctrines.  Dante  and  Petarch,  the  former  of  whom  died,  and 
the  latter  was  born  as  well  as   died,  In  the  fourteenth  century. 


{a)  Vide  Cent. Magdeburg.  Balaeum.Dupin.Cave.  Tanner.  &c. 

[b)  Matt.  Paris  ad  Ann.  1253.  P.  874.  Edit.  Wats.  1646. 

{b)  Matt.  Paris,  ibid.  Papse  redargutor,  praelatorum  correptor, 
menachorum  correflor,  prelby  teroram  direftor,  clericorum  inilruc- 
tor — Pvomanorum  malleus  et  contemptor.  P.  876. 

{c)  Excommunicatus  appellavit  a  curia  Innocentii  ad  tribunal 
Chrilli.  Henr.  dcKnjgliton.  Lib.  2.  inter  Scriptures  x.  P.  2436. 


264.  DISSERTATIONS     on 

were  (a)  feverc  fatiriils  upon  the  times,  and  wrote  freely  a- 
gainftthe  temporal  dominion  of  the  Pope,  and  the  corruptions 
of  the  clergy,  treating  Rome  as  Babylon,  and  the  Pope  as  An- 
tichrift  i  and  they  probably  did  more  hurt  to  the  court  and 
church  of  Rome  by  their  wit  and  raillery,  than  others  by  in- 
ve6live  and  declamation.  Peter  Fitz  CaiTiodor,  whether  a  fic- 
titious ar  real  perfon,  (b)  addrefled  a  remonftrance  to  the 
church  of  England  againft  the  tyranny,  avarice  and  exactions 
of  the  court  of  Rome,  advifmg  and  exhorting  the  Engliih 
to  fliake  off  the  Rom.an  yoke  from  their  necks.  Michael  Cse- 
fcnas  and  William  Occam  (c)  expofed  the  various  errors  and 
herefies  of  John  XXII.  to  the  number  of  feventy-feven  ;  and 
fecure  in  the  protection  of  the  emperor,  they  fet  at  nought  the 
thunder  of  the  Pope's  excommunications.  Marfilius,  a  fa- 
mous lawyer  of  Padua,  (d)  wrote  a  treatife  intitled.  The  de- 
fender  of  'peace^  wherein  he  advai"Lced  the  power  of  the  emperor 
above  that  of  the  Pope  in  things  fpiritual  as  well  as  temporal ; 
painted  in  the  ftrongeft  colours  the  pride,  ambition,  and  lux- 
ury of  the  court  of  Rome  ;  and  abundantly  proved  that  the 
Pope  had  not  by  divine  right  the  leaft  authority  or  pre-emi- 
nence over  other  bi£hops.  It  is  no  wonder  that  the  author 
and  his  books  were  condemned  together.  But  there  v/ere  other 
and  better  witnefies  than  thefe  in  this  age.  It  was  fhown  be- 
fore from  Thuanus,  that  the  Waldenfes  and  Albigenfes  being 
perfecuted  in  their  own  country,  fled  for  refuge  into  foreign 
nations,  fome  into  Germany,  andfome  into  Britain.  In  Ger- 
many they  grew  and  multiplied  fo  faft,  notwith (landing  the 
rage  and  violence  of  croifaders  and  inquifitors,  that  at  the  be- 
ginning of  this  century  [e)  it  is  computed,  that  there  were 
eighty  thoufand  of  them  in  Bohemia,  Auftria,  and  the  neigh- 
bouring territories  ;  and  they  pertinacioufly  defended  their 
dochines  even  unto  death.     Among  a  variety'  of  other  names 

{a)  Spanhcmii  Hift.  ChriUlan.  vSkc.  xiv.  Cap.  5.  Secft.  8  et  9. 
Robertus  Geriub  ct  Henricus  Whcinonin  Appcudice  ad  Cave  Hill. 
Litt.  P.  9  et  50. 

[h)  Appendix  ad  Cave.  P.  10.  Collier'^  Ecclefiaa.  Hill.  B.  5.  P. 
501,  &c. 

(f)  H.  Wharton  in  Append,  ad  Cave.  P.  20  et  28.  Dupin.  xiv. 
Siecle.  Chap.  5. 

(^)  Wharton,  ibid.  P.  26,   27,  Dupin.  ibid.  Chap.  5  ct  8. 

\e)  Bzovius  ad  Ann.  1315.  Spanh'Jin.  ibid.  Cap.  6.  Seft.  i.  Du- 
pin. ibid.  Chap.  8. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  265 

they  were  called  Lollards  from  {a)  one  Walter  Lollard,  who 
preached  in  Germany  about  the  year  one  thoufuud  three  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  againft  the  authority  of  the  Popcj  the  inter- 
ceiiion  of  faints,  the  mafs,  extreme  unclion,  and  other  cere- 
monies and  fuperftitions  of  the  Church  of  Rome  ;  and  was 
burned  alive  at  Cologn  in  the  year  one  thoufand  three  hundred 
and  twenty-two.  In  England  alfo  they  were  denominated 
Lollards,  though  there  was  a  man  more  worthy  to  have  given 
name  to  the  kck-,  the  defervedly  famous  John  Wickliff,  the 
honor  of  his  own,  and  the  admiration  of  all  fucceeding  times. 
Rector  only  of  Lutterworth,  [b)  filled  all  England,  and  almoft 
all  Europe  with  his  doctrine.  He  began  to  grow  famous  about 
the  year  one  thoufand  three  hundred  and  fixty,  by  preaching 
and  writing  againft  the  fuperftitions  of  the  age,  the  tyranny  of 
the  Pope,  the  erroneous  do6frines  and  vicious  lives  of  the  monks 
and  the  clergy;  and  efpecially  by  defending  the  royal  and  ec- 
clefiaftical  jurifditlion  againft  the  ufurpations  of  the  Popes  and 
mendicant  friars.  The  more  he  oppofed,  the  more  reafon  he 
found  for  oppofition.  He  tranflated  the  canonical  fcriptures 
into  the  Engiifti  language,  and  wrote  comments  upon  them. 
He  demonftrated  the  antichriftianity  of  popery,  and  the  abo- 
mination of  defolation  in  the  temple  of  God.  He  afTerted  the 
one  true  facrifice  of  Chrift,  and  oppofed  the  facrifice  of  the 
mafs,  tranfubftantiation,  the  adoration  of  the  hoft,  the  (tytn 
facraments,  purgatory,  prayers  for  the  dead,  the  worfhip  of 
faints  and  images,  and  in  ihort  all  the  principal  corruptions 
and  fuperftitions  of  the  church  of  Rome.  His  fuccefs  two  was 
greater  than  he  could  have  expected.  The  princes,  the  peo-. 
pie,  the  univerfity  of  Oxford,  many  even  of  the  clergy,  favor- 
ed and  fupported  him,  and  embraced  his  opinions.  His  ene- 
mies have  charged  him  with  feveral  heterodox  notions ;  but 
many  years  ago  was  publiftied  Au  apology  for  'John  JVickliff] 
fhoiving  his  conformity  with  the  fiow  church  of  England^  i^c. 
colleSied  out  of  his  written  works  in  the  Bodleian  library  by  Tho- 
mas James  keeper  of  the  fame  ^  at  Oxford^  one  thoufand  fix  hun- 
dred and  eight,  1  his  truly  great  and  good  man  died  of  a  palfy 
the  laft  day  of  the  year  one  thoufand  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
feven,  but  his  do61:rines  did  not  die  with  him.  His  books 
were  read  in  the  public  fchools  and  colleges  at  Oxford,  and  were 
Vol.  n.  L  1 


(«)  Dupin.  ibid.  Hoffmanni  Lex.  Spelman.  Shinner,  ccz. 
\b)  H.  Wharton  in  Append,  ad  Cave.  P.  6S,  &c.  Spanhem.  ibid. 
ap  p.  6,  Lelandj  Bale,  Tar.ner,  ^c.  &c. 


266  DISSERTATINOSoN 

recommended  to  the  diligent  perufal  of  each  ftudent  in  the  uni- 
verfity,  till  thev  were  condemned  and  prohibited  by  the  council 
of  Conf^ance  in  the  next  century.  His  followers  the  Lol- 
lards in  the  year  one  thoufand  three  hundred  and  ninety-five 
prefcnted  (^)  a  remonftrance  to  the  parliament,  which  contain- 
ed thefe  with  other  articles ;  that  when  the  church  of  England 
began  to  mifaianage  her  temporalities  in  conformity  to  the 
precedents  of  Rome,  faith,  hope,  and  charity  began  to  take 
their  leave  of  her  communion  ;  that  the  Englifh  priefthood  de- 
rived from  Rome,  and  pretending  to  a  power  fuperior  to  an- 
gels, is  not  that  priefthood  which  Chrift  fettled  upon  his  apof- 
tles ;  that  enjoining  celibacy  to  the  clergy  was  the  occafion  of 
fcandalous  irregularities  in  the  church ;  that  the  pretended  mi- 
racle of  tranfubftantiation  runs  the  greateft  part  of  chriftendom 
upon  idolat-ry;  that  exorcifms  and  benediflions  pronounced 
over  wine,  bread,  water,  the  mitre,  the  crofs,  &c.  have  more 
of  necromancy  than  religion  in  them  j  that  pravers  made  for 
the  dead  is  a  wrong  ground  for  charity  and  religious  endow- 
ments ;  that  pilgrimages,  prayers,  and  offerings  made  to  ima- 
ges and  croffes,  are  near  of  kin  to  idolatry ;  that  auricular  con- 
feinon  makes  the  priefts  proud,  lets  them  into  the  fecrets  of 
the  penitent,  gives  opportunities  for  intrigues,  and  is  attended 
with  fcandalous  confequences,  as  well  as  the  doctrine  of  indul- 
gences ;  that  the  vow  of  fingle  life  undertaken  by  women  in  the 
church  of  England  is  the  occafion  of  horrible  diforders,  &c. 
Some  falfe  tenets  might  be  contained  in  the  fame  remonftrance; 
for  alas,  who  is  there  that  holdeth  the  truth  without  any  mix- 
ture or  allay  of  error?  They  denied  the  infallibility  of  the 
Pope,  and  they  could  not  well  pretend  to  be  infallible  them- 
felves. 

Two  things  contributed  much  to  the  revival  of  learning  in 
the  f.fteenth  century,  the  Greeks  flying  with  their  books  from 
ConfTantinople  which  the  Turks  had  taken,  and  the  invention  of 
printi  ng.  As  learning  more  rev  i  ved,  fo  the  truth  prevailed  more  j 
and  the  more  the  truth  prevailed,  the  fury  of  perfecution  in- 
creafed  in  proportion.  Wickliff  himfelf  had  been  permitted 
to  die  in  peace;  but  after  his  death  (h)  his  doctrines  were  con- 
demned, his  books  were  burnt,  his  very  body  was  dug  up  and 

(a)  Walfingham,  Stow,  Spclman,  Collier's  Ecclef.  Hiil.  B.  G, 
P.  596,  &c. 

(b)  Balaei  Seript.  Brit.  Cent.  6.  No.  i .  H.  Wharton  in  Append, 
ad  Cave  P.  63.     Dupin,  Collier,  Tanner,  &c. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  267 

burnt  too,  by  a  decree  of  the  council  of  Conflance,  and  the 
command  of  Pope  Martin  V.  executed  by  Richard  Fleming 
bifhop  of  Lincoln.  His  followers  however  were  not  difcou- 
raged,  and  many  of  them  witnefled  a  good  confeffion  even  unto 
death.  William  bawtre,  parifti  priell  of  St.  Ofith  in  London, 
(a)  hath  the  honor  of  being  the  tirft  who  was  burnt  for  herefy 
in  England;  which  was  done  in  the  reign  of  Henry  IV.  at  the 
beginning  of  this  century.  A  few  years  afterwards  Thomas 
Badby  {b)  was  convicted  of  herefy,  and  ordered  alfo  to  be  burnt 
in  Smithfield.  Henry  prince  of  Wales  was  prefent  at  his  exe- 
cution :  and  the  poor  man  fhewing  very  fenfible  figns  of  the 
torment  he  endured,  the  prince  out  of  compafTion  commanded 
the  fire  to  be  removed,  and  promifed  him  pardon  and  a  penfion 
for  life,  provided  he  would  retra6i  his  errors.  But  Badby  be- 
ing come  to  himfelf,  refolutclv  rejected  this  offer:  he  chofc 
rather  to  die  with  a  good,  than  to  live  with  an  evil  confcicnce ; 
and  fo  the  fire  was  kindled  again,  and  he  was  confumed  to  allies. 
In  the  next  reign  Sir  John  Oidcafile,  baron  of  Cobham  (f)  was 
profecuted  for  being  the  principal  patron  and  abetter  of  the 
Lollards.  Being  examined  before  the  archbifhop  of  Canter- 
bury, he  declared  againft  tranfubftantiation,  penances,  the 
worlhipping  of  the  crofs,  the  power  of  the  keys ;  and  afierted 
that  the  Pope  was  Antichrift  and  the  head  of  that  body,  the 
bifhops  were  the  members,  and  the  friars  the  hinder  parts  of 
the  antichriftian  fociety.  He  was  therefore  pronounced  a  he- 
retic convi6t,  and  delivered  over  to  the  fecular  power.  But 
before  the  day  fixed  for  his  execution  he  efcaped  out  of  prifon, 
and  being  charged  by  his  enemies  with  endeavouring  to  make 
an  infurredion,  he  was  outlawed  for  high  treafon  ;  and  being 
taken  afterwards,  he  was  hanged  as  a  traitor,  and  burnt  hang- 
ing as  an  heretic,  being  the  firft  nobleman  in  England  who 
fuffered  death  for  the  caufe  of  religion.  It  was  the  great  blot 
and  ftain  of  Henry  the  fifth's  reign  and  character,  that  while  he 
was  carrying  the  glory  of  the  Englifh  arms  abroad,  he  was  ftill 
perfecuting  the  poor  Lollards  at  home.  But  notwithftanding 
thefe  perfecutions,  and  the  fevereft  laws  and  proclamations 
againft  them,  their  numbers  ftill  increafed,  not  only  among 
the  people,  but  even  in  parliament,  not  only   in  England,  but 

{a)  Fox,  Burnet's  Hift.  of  the  Ref.  B.  i.  Collier's  Ecclef.  Hill. 
B.  7.  P.  617,  &c.  Rapin,  &c. 

{6)  Walfingham,  Rapin,  Collier  ibid.  P.  620.  &c.  &c. 
(c)  Walfingham,  Rapin,  Collier  ibid.  P.  632.  Scq.  &c. 


268        DISSERTATIONS     on 

even  in  other  countries,  and  efpeciallyin  Bohemia.  For  there 
(a)  John  Hufs  and  Jerom  of  Prague  having  received  WicklifF's 
books,  advanced  and  propogated  the  fame  do6trines  :  for  which 
they  vi^ere  both  condemned  to  the  flames,  and  fufFsred  death 
with  the  moft  heroic  fortitude.  It  was  the  moft  unjuft  fentence, 
contrary  to  all  faith  and  the  folemn  engagement  of  a  fafe  con- 
duct, and  drew  after  it  the  mod:  fatal  confequences.  For 
out  of  their  afhes  a  civil  v/ar  was  kindled;  the  Bohemians  re- 
volted againfl:  the  emperor,  and  maintained  and  defended  their 
opinions  by  arms  as  well  as  by  arguments.  What  the  opini- 
ons generally  received  among  the  Bohemians  were,  we  may 
learn  with  fome  exaclnefs  frdm  one,  who  had  opportunities  of 
being  well  infcmied  by  living  and  converfmg  fome  time  among 
them,  and  was  far  from  being  prejudiced  in  their  favor,  JEne- 
as  Sylvius,  who  being  afterwards  chofen  Pope,  afTumed  the  name 
of  Pious  [L  Thefe  then  wei^e  (b)  their  opinions  acccording  to 
him,  who,  we  may  be  certain,  would  not  reprefent  them  better, 
if  he  would  not  reprefent  them  worfe,  than  they  were  in  reality. 


(a)  Spanhemii  HiiL  Chriftian.  Sasr.  xv.  Cap.  6  et  7.  Dupin  Siecle 
XV.  Chap.  7,  Lenfant.  Hiil.  Cone.  Pif  et  Conftance. 

(^)  Offer,  de  Chriitian.  Ecclef.  fucceiTione  et  ftatu.  Cap.  6.  Seft, 
16.  Allix's  Remarks  upon  the  ancient  church  of  Piedmont.  Chap. 
t2.  ^neas  Sylv.  Kid.  Bohem.  Cap.  35. 

Rornar/ani  prsefuiem  reliquis  epiicopis  parem  effe. 

Inter  facerdores  nullum  difcrimen  ;  prelbyterum  non  dignitatem, 
fed  vitce  meritum  efficere  potiorem. 

Animas  e  corporibus  excedentes,  aut  in  jctcrnas  e  velligio  psinas 
mergi,  aut  pcrpetua  confequi  gaudia. 

Purgaroruim  ignem  nullum  inveniri. 

Vanum  eiie  orare  pro  mortuis,  et  avaritiae  facardotalis  inventum. 

Dei  et  fandorum  imagines  delendas. 

Aquarum  palmarumque  benedidtiones  irridendas. 

Mendicantium  religiones  malos  daemonas  inveniffe. 

Sacerdotes  pauperes  effe  debcre,  fola  contentos  eleemofyna. 

Liberam  cuique  prxdicationem  verbi  Dei  patere. 
Nullum  capitalc  peccatum,  quantumvis  majoris  mali  vitandi  gratia, 
tolerandum. 

Qui  mortalis  culpx".  reus  fit,  eum  neque  feculari,  neque  ecclcfiaftica 
dignitatc  poiiri,  neque  parendum  ei. 

CoTirirmationcn,quamchrifmatepontifices  inducunt,et  cxtramam 
unftionem  inter  ccclefia!  iacramenta  minime  contineri. 

AuricuUrcm  confeffioncir.  nugaccm  effe  ;  fufficere  fua  quamquc 
Deo  in  cubili  fuo  conqueri  peccata. 

_  Baptifma  fluvialis  unda;,  nulla  intcrjedla  facri  olei  mixtura  reci- 
piendum. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  269 

"  The  Pope  of  Rome  is  equal  with  other  bifliops. 

"  Among  priefts  there  is  no  difference:  not  dignity,  but 
^  merit  givcth  the  preference. 

"  Souls  departing  out  of  bodies,  are  immediately  either 
"  plunged  into  eternal  puniihments,  or  attain  eternal  joys. 

*'  There  is  no  purgatory  fire. 

«  It  is  in  vain  to  pray  for  the  dead,  and  an  invention  of 
"  prieftly  covetoufnefs. 

"  The  images  of  God  and  the  faints  ought  to  be  deftroyed. 

*'  The  blelfing  of  wa  er  and  palm  branches  is  ridiculous. 

"  The  religion  of  the  mendicants  was  invented  by  evil  de- 
"  mons. 

"  Priefts  ought  to  be  poor,  content  with  alms  alone. 

«  Every  one  hath  free  liberty  to  preach  the  word  of  God. 

*'  No  capital  fm  ought  to  be  tolerated,  although  for  the  falce 
"  of  avoiding  a  greater  evil. 

^'  He  who  is  guilty  of  mortal  fin  ought  not  to  enjoy  any  fe- 
"  cular  or  ecclefiaftical  dignity,  nor  is  he  to  be  obeyed. 

"  Confirmation,  which  the  bifhops  celebrate  with  anoint- 
"  ing,  and  extreme  un6lion,  are  by  no  means  contained  among 
"  the  facraments  of  the  church. 

"  Auricular  confefHion  is  trifling ;  it  is  fufficient  for  every 
"  one  in  his  chamber  to  confefs  his  fms  unto  God. 

"  Baptifm  ought  to  be  celebarted  without  any  mixture  of 
"  holy  oil. 

"  The  ufe  of  church-yards  is  vain,  invented  for  the  falce  of 
"  gain ;  in  whatfoever    ground  human  bodies    are   buried,  it 

"  maketh  no  difference. 

„  ,  ■■  ' '  '  '  '     ■■■    »« 

Ccemiteriorum  inamen  ufum,  quaeftus  canfa  repertum;  quacunque 
tegantur  tellure  humana  corpora,  nihil  diftare. 

Ternplum  Dei  late  patentis  ipfum  mandum  eiih  ;  coardare  majef- 
tatem  ejus,^qui  ecclefias,  monalleria,  oratoriaque  conftruunt,  tan- 
quam  propitior  in  eis  divina  bonitas  inveniatur. 

Sacerdotales  vefles,  altarium  ornamenta  pallas  corporalia,  cali- 
ces,  patinas,  vafeqae  hujufmodi  nil  habere  momenti. 

Sacerdotem  quocunque  loco,  quocunque  tempore  facaum  Chrifli 
corpus  conficere  pofTe,  petentibufque  miniftrare  j  fufficere,  H  verba 
facramentalia  tantum  dicat. 

Suffragia  fandlorum  in  ccelis  cum  Clirio  regnantium  fraftra  impe- 
trari,  quie  juvare  non  poffiint. 

In  canonicis  horis  cantandis  dicendifque  fruftra  tempus  teri. 

Nulla  die  ab  opere  ceffandum,  nifi  quae  Dominica  nunc  appelatur. 

Celebritates  fandorum  prorfus  rejiciendas. 

Jejuniis  quoque  ab  ecclefiis  inltitutis,  nihil  inefTe  meriti. 


270        DISSERTATIONSoN 

"  The  temple  of  the  great  God  is  the  whole  world ;  they 
«  confine  his  majefty,  who  build  churches,  monafteries,  and 
*'  oratories,  as  if  the  divine  goodnefs  would  be  found  more 
"  propitious  in  them. 

"  Sacerdotal  veftments,  ornaments  of  altars,  palls,  coporals, 
*'  chalices,  patins  and  veilels  of  this  fort  are  of  no  moment. 

"  A  prieft  in  any  place,  at  any  time  can  confecrate  the  body 
"  of  Chrift,  and  adminifter  it  to  thofe  who  defire  it :  it  is  fuf- 
"  ficient,  if  he  repeat  only  the  facramental  words. 

"  The  fufFrages  of  the  faints  reigning  with  Chrift  in  heaven 
"  are  implored  in  vain,  forafmuch  as  they  cannot  help  us. 

"  The  time  is  confumed  in  vain  in  fmging  and  faying  the 
"  canonical  hours. 

"  We  fhould  ceafe  from  work  on  no  day,  except  that  which 
"  is  now  called  the  Lord*s  day. 

"  The  feftivals  of  faints  are  altogether  to  be  reje6ted. 

"  The  fafls  alfo  inftituted  by  the  church  have  no  merit  in 
«  them." 

Thefe  were  the  opinions  of  the  Bohemians  or  Huffites,  for 
which  they  fought  as  well  as  difputed  againft  the  Pope  and  em- 
peror. At  firft  they  were  victorious  under  the  conduit  of  the 
famous  John  Zafka;  and  when  they  were  beaten  at  laft,  they 
retired  into  the  mountains  and  caves,  where  they  continued 
diftinguifhed  by  the  name  of  the  Bohemian  brethren  till  the 
time  of  the  Reformation.  Even  in  the  bofom  of  the  church 
of  Rom.e  there  were  many  good  men,  who  called  aloud  for  a 
reformation  in  faith  as  well  as  in  morals,  in  do6lrine  as  well 
as  in  difcipline.  One  inftance  is  more  particularly  worthy  of 
our  attention.  Jeronimo  Savonarola  {a)  was  a  Dominlcian, 
celebrated  in  all  Italy,  and  efpecially  in  Florence,  for  the  great 
purity  and  ftriitnefs  of  his  life  and  do6lrine.  He  preached 
freely  againft  the  vices  of  the  age,  the  luxury,  avarice,  and 
debauchery  of  the  Roman  clergy  in  general,  and  the  tyranny 
and  wickedncfs  in  particular  of  Pope  Alexander  VI.  and  his 
fon  Caefar  Borgia.  In  his  difcourfes  fermons,  and  writings, 
he  preffed  the  nccefTity  of  holding  a  general  council  and  mak- 
ing   a  general    reformation  :    and    he   wrote    particularly   a 


{a)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  5.  Sedl.  3.  H.  Wharton  in  Append,  ad 
Cave  P.  198.  Sec.  Guieciardin.  B.  3.  towards  the  end.  Phil,  de  Co- 
mines.  B.  8.  Chap.  19.  Dupin.  ibid.  Chap.  4.  Bayle's  Di(5t.  &c.  &c. 


THE     PROPHECIES  271 

treatlfe  (a)  intitled  The  lamentation  ofthefhoufe  of  Chrljl  againj} 
falfe  apojtles^  or  an  exhortation  to  the  faithjul  that  they  would 
pray  unto  the  Lord  for  the  renovation  of  the  church.  But  what 
was  the  fruit  and  conlequence  of  all  his  pious  zeal  ?  He  was  ex- 
communicated, he  was  imprifoned,  he  was  tortured,  he  was 
burnt  J  which  he  fulFered  with  all  poffible  conftancy  on  the 
twenty-third  of  May  one  thoufand  four  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight,  and  in  the  forty-fixth  year  of  his  age.  All  perfons  of 
any  note  and  eminence  bear  a  double  charader  in  the  world, 
and  fo  doth  Savonarola,  his  admirers  extolling  him  as  the  beft 
of  men  and  the  prophet  of  God,  his  enemies  reviling  him  as 
the  worft  of  impoftors,  and  hypocrites :  but  if  his  works  may 
fpeak  for  him,  they  are,  in  the  [b]  opinion  of  Dupin,  "  full  of 
"  grace  and  maxims  of  piety ;  he  fpeaketh  freely  there  againlt 
"  the  vices,  and  teacheth  the  mofl  pure  and  the  moft  exalted, 
**  morality." 

We  are  now  arrived  at  the  fxieenth  century,  f^culum  refor- 
matum^  as  it  hath  been  called,  or  the  age  of  reformation.  The 
materials  had  in  great  a  mcafure  been  collected,  and  the  founda- 
tions had  been  laid  deep  before,  but  this  age  had  the  happinefs 
of  feeing  the  fuperftrufture  raifed  and  completed.  All  the 
chriftian  world  almoft  had  groaned  earneftly  for  a  reformation  : 
and  Pope  Adrian  himfelf  [c)  acknowledged  the  neceiTity  of  it, 
and  promifed  to  begin  with  reforming  the  court  of  Rome,  as 
the  fourcc  and  origin  of  evil.  Erafmus  and  others  led  the 
way;  and  Luther  began  {d)  publicly  to  preach  againft  the 
Pope's  indulgences  in  the  year  one  thoufand  five  hundred  and 
feventeen,  which  is  ufually  reckoned  the  aera  of  the  Reforma- 
tion. So  that  during  all  the  dark  ages  of  popery,  from  the 
firft  rife  of  the  beaft  down  to  the  Reformation,  there  have  con- 
ftantly  been  fome  true  and  faithful  witneffes  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
who,  though  they  may  have  fallen  into  fome  errors  and  mif- 
takes,  (as  indeed  who  is  altogether  free  from  them?)  yet  it  may 
charitably  be  prefumed,  held  none  which  are  contrary  to  the 

{a)  Lamentatio  Chriili  fponfa;  adverfus  Pfendapoftolos,  five  exhor- 
tatioad  fideles,ut  precenmr  Dominumpro  renovationeecclefuie.ye- 
net.  1537.  et  cum  vita  Savonarolas.  Paris  1674.  80.  Wharton  ibid. 

{b)  Lcs  ouvrages  de  cet  auteur  fons  plems  d'onflion  et  de  max- 
imes  de  piete  ;  il  y  parla  librement  contre  les  vices,  et  y  enfeigne  la 
morale  la  plus  pure  et  la  plus  relevee.  Dapin.  ibid. 

(0  Sledian's  Hift.  of  the  Refonnation.  B.  4.  Father  Paul's  Hift. 
•f  the  Council  of  Trent.  B.  i.  Sed.  60. 

{d)  Sleidam.B.  i.  Father  Paul.  Ij.  i  Sea.  \%,  &c. 


272        DISSERTATIONS     on 

fundamentals  of  the  Chriftian  faith,  and  deftrucStlve  offaha- 
tion.  Many  more  there  were  without  doubt  than  have  come 
to  our  knowledge ;  many  more  might  have  been  collected,  and 
this  deduction  drawn  out  into  a  greater  length :  but  I  have 
ftudied  brevity  as  much  as  I  well  could ;  and  they  who  are 
deilrous  of  feeing  a  larger  and  more  particular  account  of  the 
witnejfes^  may  find  it  in  (^)  Flaccius  Illyricus,  in  the  Centu- 
riators  of  Magdebufg, '  in  Ufher,  in  Allix,  in  Spanheim,  and 
other  authors.  Here  only  fome  of  the  principal  inftanccs 
arefelected:  but  this  dedu6^ion,  fliort  and  defe^ive  as  it  is, 
evidently  demonft rates  hov/ever,  that  there  hath  not  been 
that  uninterrupted  union  and  harmony,  w^hich  the  members 
of  the  church  of  Rome  pretend  and  boaft  to  have  been  be- 
fore the  Reformation:  and  at  the  fame  time  it  plainly  evin- 
ces, that  they  betray  great  ignorance,  as  well  as  imperti- 
nence, in  afking  the  queilion  Where  was  your  religion  before 
Luther  ?  Our.  religion,  we  fee,  was  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of 
many  faithful  witnefTes  ;  but  it  is  fufficient,  if  it  were  nowhere 
elfe,  that  it  was  always  in  the  Bible.  "  The  Bible,  as  Chil- 
"  lingworth  {h)  fays,  the  Bible  only  is  the  religion  of  pro- 
«  teftants." 

15  And  the  feventh  angel  founded,  and  there  were 
great  voices,-  in  heaven,  faying.  The  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his 
Chrift,  and  he  fliall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 

16  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  which  fat  before 
God  on  their  feats,  i^W  upon  their  faces  and  worfhipped 
God, 

17  Saying,  We  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God  al- 
mighty, which  art  and  waft,  and  art  to  come  j  becaufe 
thou  haft  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power  and  haft  reigned, 

18  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come, 
and  the  time  of  thd  dead  that  theyfhould  be  judged,  and 
that  thou  iht)uldir  give  reward  unto  thy  fervants  the  pro- 
phets, and  to  the  faints  and  them  that  fear  thy  name,  fmall 
and  great,  and  fhouldft  deftroy  them  which  deftroy  the 
earth. 

(«)  Matthias  Flaccius  in  CalrJogo  tcllium  varitatis.  Ilirt.  Eccle- 
fiaft.  Magdeburg.  Ufher  de  Chriilian.  iicclef.  fucccfilone  et  ftatu. 
Allix's  Remr.rks  upon  the  ancient  church  of  Piedmont,  and  the 
ancient  churches  of  the  Albigenfcs.  Frederici  Spanhemi.  Hifl. 
Chriftianaet  Ilift.  Jinaginnm. 

(^)  Chillipgworth's  Religion  of  Protcilarits.  Chap.  6,  Ss^.  56. 


T  H  E     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  275 

We  are  now  come  to  the  fevcnth  and  lafl  trumpet,  or  the 
third  woe  trumpet,  and  the  fevcnth  trumpet  as  well  as  all  the 
trumpets  being  comprehended  under  the  feventh  feal,  and  the 
feventh  feal  and  all  the  leals  being  conftituent  parts  or  members 
of  the  fealed  book,  it  is  evident  that  the  feventh  trumpet  can- 
not any  way  belong  to  the  little  open  book,  but  is  plainly  dif- 
un6t  from  it,  the  little  book    being  no  more  than   an  appen- 
dage to  the  fixth   trumpet,  and   the  contents  all  comprehended 
under  it,  or  at  leaft  ending  with  it.      The  forty  and  two  inonths 
Qf  the   Gentiles  treading  the  holy   city   under  foot^  and  the  one 
thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty  days  of  the  witncjjes  prophefy- 
ing  in  fackdoth   are  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  Jixty  {yn- 
chronical  years,  and  terminate  at  the  fame  time  with  the  fall 
of  the  Othman  empire  or  the  end  of  the  fixth  trumpet  or  fe- 
venth woe-trumpet.     And  when  thefecondwoe  is  pajl^  it  is  faid 
(xi.  14.)  behold^  the  third  woe  co?neth  quickly.     At  the  found- 
ing of  the  feventh  trumpet  (ver.  15.)  the  third  woe  commenc- 
eth,  which  is  rather   implied  than   exprefTed,  as  it  will  be  de- 
fcribed  more  fully  hereafter.     The  third  wee  brought  on  the  /;/- 
hahiters  of  the  earth  is  the  ruin  and  downfall  of  the  Antichrif- 
tian  kingdom :  and  then,  and  not  till  then,  according  to  the 
heavenly  chorus,  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  ivill  become  the 
kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Chrift^  and  he  Jhall  reign  for 
ever  and  ever.     St.   John  is  rapt  and  hurried  away  as  it  were 
to  a  view  of  the   happy  millenium,  without  confidering  the 
fteps  preceding  and  conducing  to  it.     At  the  fame  time  the 
four  and  twenty  elders^  or  the  minifters  of  the  church,  (ver.  16, 
17,  18.)  are  reprefented   as  praifnig  and  glorifying  God  for 
manifefting  his  power  and  kingdom  more  than  he  had  done  be- 
fore :    and    give    likewife  an  intimation  of  fome   fucceedinrr 
events,  as   the  anger  of  the  nations^  Gog  and  -^'lagog,  (xx.  8.) 
and  the  wrath  of  God^  difplayed  in  their  dcftruilion,  (xx.  9.) 
and  the  judging  of  the  dead^  or  the  general  judgment,  (xx.  12.) 
and  the  rewarding  of  all  the  good^  fmall  and  great^  as  well  as 
the  punijhing  of  the  wicked.     Here  we  have  only  a  fummary 
account  of  the  circumftances  and  occurrences  of  the  feventh 
trumpet,  but  the  particulars  will  be  dilated  and  enlarged  upon 
hereafter. 

And  thus  are  we  arrived  at  the  confummation  of  ail  things, 

through  a  feries  of  prophecies  extending  from   the  apoftle's 

days  to  the  end  of  the  world.     It  is  this  feries  v/hich  has  been 

our  q\v\^  to  condu6l  us  in  our  interpretation  ©f  thc;fe  prophecies : 

Vol.  II.  Mm. 


174        DISSERTATIONS     on 

and  though  fome  of  them  may  be  dark  and  obfcure,  con- 
fidered  in  themfelves,  yet  they  receive  light  and  illuftration 
from  others  preceding  and  following.  All  together  they  are 
as  it  were  a  chain  of  prophecies,  whereof  one  link  depends  on, 
and  fupports  another.  If  any  parts  remain  yet  obfcure  and  un- 
fatisfadory,  they  may  perhaps  be  cleared  up  by  what  the  apof- 
tie  himfelf  hath  added  by  way  of  explanation. 


tbePROPHECIES.  475 

XXV. 

An  Analysis  of  the  Revelation. 
PART    11. 


MOST  of  the  beft  commentators  divide  the  Apocalyps 
or  Revelation  into  twopart^,  the  book  fealed  with  feven 
Jeals^  and  the  little  book  as  it  is  called  feveral  times.  But  it 
happens  unluckily,  that  according  to  their  divifion  the  lefler 
book  is  made  to  contain  as  much  or  more  than  the  larger:— 
whereas  in  truth  the  little  book  is  nothing  more  than  a  part  of 
the  fealed  book^  and  is  added  as  a  codicil  or  appendix  to  it.  If 
we  were  to  divide  the  Revelation,  as  they  would  have  it  divided, 
into  two  parts,  the  former  ending  v/ith  Chap.  ix.  and  the  lat- 
ter beginning  with  Chap.  x.  the  whole  frame  of  the  book  would 
be  disjointed,  and  things  would  be  feparated,  which  are  plainly 
connedled  together  and  dependent  upon  one  another.  The  for- 
mer part,  as  they  agree,  comprehends  the  book  fealed  with  ^Q'* 
ven  feals,  which  are  all  opened  in  order  :  but  the  feventh  feal 
confifts  of  the  feven  trumpets,  and  of  the  feven  trumpets  the 
three  laft  are  diftinguifhed  by  the  name  of  the  three  tvoe-trum^ 
pets  ;  fo  that  the  feven  trumpets,  as  well  as  the  itvtw  feals,  all 
belonged  properly  to  the  former  part.  Whereas  if  we  were  to 
follow  the  other  divifion,  the  trumpets  would  be  divided,  the 
three  laft  trumpets  would  be  divided  from  each  other,  the  fixth 
trumpet  itfelf  would  be  divided,  would  begin  in  the  former 
part  of  the  book,  and  end  in  the  latter,  and  the  feventh  trumpet 
would  remain  feparated  from  the  reft,  which  would  be  a  ftrange 
interruption  of  the  feries  and  order  of  the  prophecies,  and  great- 
ly difturb  and  confound  the  courfe  of  events.  The  former 
part,  inftead  of  clofmg  with  the  feventh  trumpet,  would  then 
break  ofF  in  the  middle  of  the  fixth  trumpet ;  the  latter  part 
would  then  commence  under  the  fixth  trumpet,  and  after  that 
would  follow  the  feventh  and  laft  trumpet,  and  after  this  the 
general  fubje(5l  of  the  Revelation  would  be  refumed  from  the 
beginning  of  the  Chriftian  aera,  which  inftead  of  coming  in 


276        DISSERTATIONS    on 

after  fo  many  events  pofterlor  in  point  of  time,  ought  certainly 
to  be  the  beginning  of  the  Iatt6r  part,  f'or  we  would  alfo  di- 
vide the  Revelation  into  two  parts,  or  rather  the  book  fo  di- 
vides itfelf.  For  the  former  part  proceeds,  as  we  have  feen,  in 
a  regular  and  fucceiTive  feries  from  the  apoflle's  days  to  the 
confummation  of  all  things.  Nothing  can  be  added,  but  it 
mull  fall  fome  where  or  other  within  the  compafs  of  this  peri- 
od ;  it  muft  in  fome  meafure  be  a  refumption  of  the  fame  fub- 
jecls  ;  and  this  latter  part  may  mofl  properly  be  confidered  as 
an  inlargement  and  illuftration  of  the  former.  Several  things, 
v/hich  were  only  touched  upon,  and  delivered  in  dark  hints  be- 
fore, require  to  be  more  copioufly  handled,  and  placed  in  a 
flronger  light.  It  was  Paid  that  the  beaji  JJoould  7nake  war  againJI 
the  witnejjes  a?id  overcome  them  :  bait  who  or  what  the  heaji  is 
we  may  re.ifonably  conjeiSture  indeed,  but  the  apoftle  himfelf 
will  more  furely  explain.  The  tranfadions  of  the  feventh 
trumpet  are  all  fummed  up  and  comprifed  in  a  few  verfes,  but 
we  Ihall  fee  the  particulars  branched  out  and  inlarged  into  as 
many  chapters.  In  Ihort  this  latter  part  is  defigned  as  a  fup- 
plement  to  the  former,  to  complete  what  was  deficient,  to  ex- 
plain what  was  dubious,  to  illuftrate  what  was  obfcure :  and  as 
the  former  defcribed  more  the  deflinies  of  the  Roman  empire, 
fo  tliis  latter  relates  more  to  the  fates  of  the  Chriftian  church. 

19  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven,  and 
there  was  i^zn  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  teftament:  and 
there  were  lightnings,  and  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  an 
earthquake,  and  great  hail. 

This  laft  verfe  on  the  eleventh  chapter,  in  my  opinion,  fliould 
have  been  made  the  firft  verfe  of  the  twelfth  chapter ;  for  it  ap- 
pears to  be  the  beginning  of  a  new  fubjei!^.  It  is  fomewhatlikc 
the  beginning  of  Ifaiah's  vifion  ;  (vi.  1.)  I  faiu  the  Lord  fitting 
vpon  a  throne  (the  ark)  high  and  lifted  uf^  and  his  train  filled 
the  temple.  It  is  fomewhat  like  the  beginning  of  St.  John's 
prophetic  vifions;  (iu.  i,  2.)  /  looked^  and  behold  a  door  was 
opened  in  heaven  ;  and  behold^  a  throne  was  fet  in  heaven^  and 
one  fat  on  the  throne.  This  is  much  in  the  fame  fpirit :  j^nd 
the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven^  and  there  was  feen  in  his 
temple  the  ark  of  his  tcjlament ;  that  is,  more  open  difcoveries 
where  now  made,  and  the  myftery  of  God  was  revealed  to  the 
prophet.     Light ningSy  and  voices-^    and  thun^leringsj   and  an 


THE     PROPHECIES.  277 

e-arthquakcy  and  great  hail^  are  the  urual  concomitants  and  at- 
tendents  of  the  diviiie  prefents,  and  cfpeclally  at  the  giving  of 
new  laws  and  new  revelations.  So  at  mount  Sinai,  Kxod.  xx. 
16,  kc.  "  There  were  thunders,  and  lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud 
*'  upon  the  mount,  and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  exceeding 
"  loud,  and  the  whole  mount  quaked  greatly."  So  likcwife 
in  this  very  book  of  the  Apoc^lyps,  before  the  opening  of  the 
feven  feals,  (iv.  5.)  there  were  lightnings^  and  thunderings^and 
voices.  So  again  before  the  founding  of  the  fevcn  trumpets 
(viii.  5.)  there  zvere  voices^  and  thunderings^  and  Ugbtnings^and 
»n  earthquake  :  and  with  as  much  reafon  they  are  made  in  this 
place  the  ligns  and  preludes  of  the  revelations  and  judgments, 
which  are  to  follow.  It  is  no  jufl  objection,  that  a  nev/  fubjecSt 
is  fuppofed  to  begin  with  the  conjunction  and\  for  this  is  fre- 
quent in  the  ftile  of  the  Hebrews ;  fome  books,  as  Numbers, 
Jofhua,  the  two  books  of  Samuel,  and  others,  begin  with  Van 
or  and\  and  the  fame  objection  would  hold  equally  againll:  be- 
ginning the  divifion  with  the  firfl  verfe  of  the  next  chapter. 


CHAP.     XII 


I      A    ND  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven,  a 
jf^  woman  cloathed  with  the  fun,  and  the  moon  un- 
der her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crov/n  of  twelve  ftars  : 

2  And  fbe  being  v/ith  child,  cried,  travelling  in  birth, 
and  pained  to  be  delivered. 

3  And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in  heaven,  and 
behold,  a  great  red  dragon,  having  feven  heads,  and  ten 
horns,  and  feven  crowns' upon  his  heads. 

4  And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  ftars  of  hea- 
ven, and  did  call  them  to  the  earth  :  and  the  dragon  flood 
before  the  woman  which  was  ready  to  be  delivered,  for 
to  devour  her  child  as  foon  as  it  was  born. 

5  And  (he  brought  fourth  a  man-child,  who  was  t.") 
rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and  her  child  was 
caught  up  unto  God,  and  to  his  throne. 

6  And  the  woman  fled  into  the  v/ildernefs,  where  (he 
hath  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that  they  fnouid  feed  her 
there  a  thoufand  two  hundred  and  threefcore  days. 


278         DISSERTATIONS    on 

St.  John  rcfumes  his  fubje£l  from  the  beglnnlngj  and  r^- 
prefents  the  church  (ver.  i,  2.)  as  a  woman,  and  a  mother 
bearing  children  unto  Chrift.  She  is  cloatked  by  the  fiin^  iti- 
veiled  vviLJi  the  rays  of  Jefus  Chrift  the  fun  of  righteoufnefs  ; 
having  the  moon^  \h^  [a)  Jewifli  new-moons  and  feftivals  as 
well  as  all  fublunary  things,  under  her  feet ;  and  upon  her  head 
a  crown  of  twelve  fiars^  an  emblem  of  her  being  under  the 
light  and  guidance  of  the  twelve  apoftles.  And Jhe  being  with 
child^  critd^  travelling  in  birth^  arid  pained  to  be  delivered.  St. 
Paul  hath  made  ufe  of  the  fame  metaphor,  and  applied  it  to 
his  preaching  and  propagating  of  the  gofpel  in  the  midft  of  tri- 
bulation and  perfecution.  Gal.  iv.  19.  "  My  little  children  of 
"  whom  I  travel  in  birth  again,  until  Chrift  be  formed  in  you." 
But  the  words  of  Sl  John  are  much  ftronger,  and  more  em- 
phatically exprefs  the  pangs,  and  ftruggles,  and  torments,  which 
the  church  endured  from  the  firft  publication  of  the  gofpel  to 
the  time  of  Conftantine  the  great,  when  ftie  was  in  fome  mea- 
fure  eafed  of  her  pains  and  brought  forth  a  deliverer.  Mr. 
Whifton  carries  the  comparifon  farther.  (Eflay  on  the  Re- 
velation. Part  3.  Vifion  3.)  "  For  as  the  time  of  geftation  from 
"  the  conception  to  the  birth  in  women  with  child,  is  known 
"  to  be  forty  weeks  or  two  hundred  and  eighty  days ;  fo  it  is 
"  as  well  known,  that  from  the  firft  rife  of  our  Saviour's  king- 
"  dom  at  his  refurre(5lion  and  afcenfion,  A.  D.  thirty-three, 
"  till  the  famous  proclamation  and  edi6f,  for  the  univerfal 
"  liberty  and  advancement  of  Chriftianity  by  Conftantine  and 
"  Licinius,  A.  D.  three  hundred  and  thirteen,  which  put  an 
"  end  to  the  pangs  of  birth  in  the  heavieft  perfecution  that 
"  ever  was  then  known,  v/r;S  exactly  two  hundred  and  eighty 
*'  years,'*  reckoning  according  to  the .  prophetical  account  a 
day  for  a  year.  At  the  fame  time  there  appeared  (ver.  3.)  a 
great  dragon  ;  which  is  the  well  known  fign  or  fymbol  of  the 
Devil  and  Satan,  and  of  his  agents  and  inftruments.  We 
find  the  kings  and  people  of  Egypt,  who  were  the  great  perfe- 
cu tors  of  the  primitive  church  of  Ifrael,  diftinguilhcd  by  this 
title  in  feveral  places  of  the  Old  Teftament :  Pfal.  Ixxiv.  13. 
If.  li.  9.  Ezek.  xxix.  3.)  and  wich  as  much  reafon  and  proprie- 
ty may  the  people  and  emperors  of  Rome,  who  were  the  great 

{a)  A  learned  corrcfpondent  obferves,  that  the  Jewifh  religion 
is  aptly  compared  to  the  moon,  ai  its  light  is  net  its  own,  and 
fiirniOicd  by  the  Chrilli  ra  religion,  to  which  it  relates;,  and  wherr- 
in  its  types  are  accompliihed. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  279 

perfccutors  of  the  primitive  church  of  Chriil,  be  called  by  the 
fame  name,  as  they  are  adluated  by  the  fame  principle.  For 
that  the  Roman  empire  was  here  figured,  the  characters  and 
attributes  of  the  dragon  plainly  evince.  He  is  a  great  red 
dragon  :  and  purple  or  fcarlet  was  the  diftinguifblng  colour 
of  the  Roman  emperors,  confuls,  and  generals ;  as  it  hath 
been  fince  of  the  Popes  and  cardinals.  His  feven  heathy  as 
the  angel  afterwards  (xvii  9,  10.)  explains  the  vifivin,  allude 
to  the  feven  mountains  upon  which  Rome  was  built,  and  to  the 
feven  forms  of  government,  which  fucceilively  prevailed  there. 
His  ten  horns  typify  the  ten  kingdoms,  into  which  the  Roman 
empire  was  divided;  and  the  feven  crowns  upon  his  heads  de- 
note, that  at  this  time  the  imperial  power  was  in  Rome,  the 
high  city,  as  Propertius  {a)  defcribes  it,  feated  on  {G.vo.'^i  hills, 
which  prefides  over  the  whole  world.  His  tail  alfo  (ver.  4.) 
drew  the  third  part  of  the  Jlars  of  heaven^  and  did  cafl  them  to 
the  earth  %  that  is,  he  fubje6ted  the  third  part  of  the  princes 
and  potentates  of  the  earth :  and  the  Roman  empire,  as  we 
have  izQvv  before,  is  reprefented  as  the  third  part  of  the  world. 
He  flood  before  the  woman^  which  was  ready  to  he  delivered^  for 
to  devour  her  child  as  foon  as  it  was  horn  :  and  the  Roman  em- 
perors and  magiftrates  kept  a  jealous  watchful  eye  over  the 
Chriftians  from  the  beginning.  As  Pharaoh  laid  fnares  for^ 
the  male  children  of  the  Hebrews,  and  Herod  for  the  infant 
Chrift,  the  fon  of  Mary ;  fo  did  the  Roman  dragon  for  the 
myftic  Chrift,  the  fon  of  the  church,  that  he  might  deftroy 
him  even  in  his  infancy.  But  notwithftanding  the  jealoufy 
and  envy  of  the  Romans,  the  gofpel  was  widely  diffufed  and 
propagated,  and  the  church  brought  many  children  unto  Chrift, 
and  in  time  fuch  as  were  promoted  to  the  empire.  She  brought 
forth  a  man  child-,  ivho  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of 
iron^  (ver.  5.)  It  was  predi6led  that  Chrift  ftiould  rule  over 
the  nations,  Pfal.  ii.  9.  "  Thou  fhalt  break  them  v/ith  a  rod 
"  of  iron,  thou  fhalt  dafh  then  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  veflel:" 
but  Chrift,  who  is  himfelf  invifible  in  the  heavens,  ruleth 
vifibly  in  Chriftian  magiftrates,  princes,  and  emperors.  It  was 
therefore  promifed  before  to  Chriftians  in  general,  (ii.  26,  27.) 
ic  He  that  overcometh,  and  keepeth  my  works  unto  the  end, 
«  to  him  will  I  give  power  over  the  nations  (And  he  ftiall  rule 
t<  them  with  a  rod  of  iron :  as  the  velTels  of  a  potter  ftiall  they 


{a)  Septhem  urbs  alta  jugis,  toti  quae  pr^fidct  orbi. 

Propert.Lib.  3.  El.  11.  ver.  57. 


28o         D  I  S  S  E  R   r  A  T  I  O  N  S     on 

"  be  broken  to  fliivers)  even  as  I  received  of  my  father/'  But 
it  (hould  feem  that  Couilantine  w^as  here  particularly  intended, 
for  whofe  life  (a)  the  dragon  Galerius  laid  many  fnares,  but 
he  providentially  cfcaped  them  all ;  and  notwithftanding  all 
oppofition,  was  caught  up  unto  the  throne  of  God^  was  not  only 
fecured  by  the  divine  protection,  but  was  advanced  to  the  im- 
perial throne,  called  the  throne  of  Gody  for,  Rom.  xiii.  i. 
*'  there  is  no  power  but  of  God;  the  powers  that  be,  are  or- 
*'  dained  of  God.'*  He  too  ruleth  all  nations  ivith  a  rod  of  iron ; 
for  he  had  not  only  the  Romans,  who  before  had  perfecuted 
the  church,  under  his  dominion,  but  alfo  [b)  fubducd  the  Scy- 
thians, Sarmatians,  and  other  barbarous  nations,  who  had  never 
before  been  fubjecl  to  the  Roman  empire :  and  as  the  learned 
[e)  Spanheim  informs  us,  there  are  flill  extant  medals  and 
coins  of  his  with  thefe  infcriptions,  the  fuhduer  of  the  barba- 
rous nations^  the  conqueror  of  all  nations^  every  where  a  conquer- 
cr^  and  the  like.  What  is  added  (ver  6.)  of  the  %voinan*s 
fiying  into  the  ivildernefs  for  a  thoufand  two  hundred  and  three- 
fcore  days  is  faid  by  way  of  prolepfis  or  anticipation.  For  the  war 
in  heaven  between  Michael  and  the  dragon,  and  other  fubfquent 
events,  were  prior  in  order  of  time  to  the  flight  of  the  woman 
into  the  wildernefs :  but  before  the  prophet  paffeth  on  to  a  new 
fubjeCl:,  he  giveth  a  general  account  of  what  happened  to  the 
woman  afterwards,  and  entereth  more  into  the  particulars  in 
their  proper  place. 

7  And  there  was  war  in  heaven;  Michael  and  his  an- 
gels fought  againft  the  dragon,  and  the  dragon  fought  and 
his  angels : 

8  And  prevailed  not,  neither  was  their  place  found  any 
more  in  heaven. 

9  And  the  great  dragon  was  caiP:  out,  that  old  ferpent^ 
called  the  Devil  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole 
world:  he  was  call  out  into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were- 
cafl  out  with  him. 

{a)  Eufeb.  de  Vita  Conftant.  Lib.  i.  Cap,  20.  I.iifVant.  de  Mont. 
Perfecut.  Cap.  z.\.  Au6lor  ij^noius  ad  c:ilcem  Amm.  Marcellini.  P.. 
65v6.  Edit.  Valefii  Paris.  i6Si. 

{b)  Eufcb.  de  Vita  Conilant.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  5.  &c. 

(<r)  Spanhemii  Difiert.  Decinsa  Tertia  de  Prarrtaritia  et  Ufla 
Numifm.  Antiqu.  P.  636,  63.^].  Obfcrvit.  ad  Juliaai  Imp.  Orat.  I» 
in  laudem  Conilantii.  P.  66. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  281 

10  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice,  faying  in  heaven,  Now  is 
come  falvation,  and  ftrength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God, 
and  the  power  of  his  Chrifi :  for  the  accufer  of  our  bre- 
thren is  caft  down,  which  accufcd  them  before  our  Cjod 
day  and  night. 

11  And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  by  the  word  of  their  teftimony;  and  they  loved  not 
their  lives  unto  the  death. 

12  Therefore  rejoice,  ye  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in 
them.  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  fea: 
for  the  devil  is  comedown  unto  you,  having  great  wrath, 
becaufe  he  knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  fhort  time. 

It  might  reafonably  be  prefumed,  that  all  the  pov^^ers  of  Ido- 
latry would  be  ftrenuoufly  exerted  againft  tKe  eftablifhmcnt  of 
Chriflianity,  and  efpecially  againft  the  eftablifhmentof  a  Chrif- 
tian  on  the  Imperial  throne:  and  thcfe  ftruggles  and  contenti- 
ons between  the  Heathen  and  the  ChrilHan  religions  are  re- 
prefented  (ver.  7.)  by  ivar'  in  heaven  between  the  angels  of 
darknefs  and  angels  of  light.  Michael  v/as,  Dan.  x.  21. 
xii.  I.  the  tutelar  angel  and  protedtor  of  the  Jev/ifh  church. 
He  performs  here  the  fame  office  of  champion  for  the  Chrlftian 
church.  He  and  the  good  angels,  who  are  fent  forth  (Heb.  i. 
14.)  to  min'ifter  to  the  heirs  of  fahatiofi^  were  the  invifible 
agents  on  one  fide,  as  the  devil  and  his  evil  angels  were  on  the 
other.  The  vifible  a6lors  in  the  caufe  of  ChriiHanity  were  the 
believing  emperors  and  minifters  of  the  word,  the  martyrs  and 
confeflbrs:  and  in  fupport  of  idolatry  were  the  pcrfccuting 
emperors  and  heathen  magiftrates,  together  with  the  whole 
train  of  priefts  and  fophifts.  This  conteft  lafted  feveral  years, 
and  the  final  iflue  of  it  was  (ver.  8,9.)  that  the  Chriftian  pre- 
vailed over  the  heathen  religion  ;  the  Heathens  were  depofed 
from  all  rule  and  authority,  and  the  Chriftians  were  advanced 
to  dominion  and  empire  in  their  ft^ead.  Our  Saviour  faid  unto 
his  difciples  calling  devils  out  of  the  bodies  of  men,  Luke  x. 
18.  "1  beheld  Satan,  as  lightning,  fall  from  heaven.'^  In  the 
fame  figure  Satan  fell  from  heaven,  and  zuas  caji  out  into  the 
earthy  when  he  was  thruft  out  of  the  Imperial  throne,  and  his 
angeh  %vere  caJi  out  with  him^  not  only  all  the  heathen  priefts 
and  officers  civil  and  military  were  cafhiered,  but  their  very 
gods  and  demoMS,  who  before  were  adored  for  their  divinity, 
became  the  fubjeds  of  contempt  and  execration.     It  is  ver/ 

Vol.  IL  N  a 


282        DISSERTATIONS    on 

remarkable  that  Conftantine  himfdf  and  the  Chriflians  of  his 
time  defcribe  his  conqueils  under  the  fame  image,  as  if  they 
had  underftood  that  this  prophecy  had  received  its  accompliih- 
ment  in  him.  Conftantine  himfelf,  {a)  in  his  epiftle  to,Eufe- 
bius  and  other  bifhops  concerning  the  re-edifying  and  repairing 
of  churches,  faith  that  "Liberty  being  now  reftored,  and  that 
"  dragon  being  removed  from  the  adminiftration  of  public  af- 
"  fairs,  by  the  providence  of  the  great  God;  and  by  my  mini- 
"  ftry,  I  elleem  the  great  power  of  God  to  have  been  made 
"  manifeft  even  to  all."  Aloreover  (^)  a  picture  of  Conftan- 
tine was  fet  up  over  the  palace  gate,  with  the  crofs  over  his 
head,  and  under  his  feet  the  great  enemy  of  mankind^  who  perfe- 
cutedthe  church  by  the  means  of  impious  tyrants^  in  the  for  7n  of  a 
dragon^  transfixed  with  a  dart  through  the  midft  of  his  body, 
and  tailing  headlon'g  into  the  depth  of  the  fea  :  in  allufion,  as  it 
is  faid  exprefsly,  to  the  divine  oracles  in  the  books  of  the  pro- 
phets, where  that  evil  fpirit  is  called  the  dragon  and  the  crook- 
ed ferpent.  Upon  tliis  vi(il:ory  of  the  church,  there  is  intro- 
duced (ver.  10.)  a  triumphant  hymn  of  thankfgiving  for  the 
dcpreffion  of  idolatry,  and  exaltation  of  true  religion:  for  now 
it  was  no  longer  in  the  power  of  the  heathen  perfecutors,  as 
Satan  accufed  holy  Job  before  God,  to  accufe  the  innocent 
Chriflians  before  the  Roman  governors,  as  the  perpetrators  of 
all  crimes,  and  the  caufers  of  all  calamities.  It  was  not  by  tem- 
poral means  or  arms  that  the  Chriflians  obtained  this  vi6tory, 
(ver.  u.)  but  by  fpiritual,  by  the  merits  and  death  of  their  Re- 
deemer, bv  their  conflant  profeflion  of  the  truth,  and  by  their 
patient  fuffering  of  all  kinds  of  tortures  even  unto  death  :  and 
the  i^lood  of  the  martyrs  hath  been  often  called  the  feal  of  the 
church.  This  victory  was  indeed  (ver.  12.)  matter  of  joy  and 
triumph  to  the  bleflfed  angels  and  glorihed  faints  in  heaven,  by 
whofe  fufFerings  it  was  in  great  meafure  obtained  ;  but  flill  new 
woes  are  threatened  to  the  inhahitcrs  of  the  earth  ;  for  though 
the  dragon  was  depoled,  yet  was  he  not  deflroycd  :  though 
idolatry  was  deprefl'cd,  yet  was  it  not  wholly  fupprefTed  ;  there 

. »  .  1 .1  ,.  -  ■  I  .  ^^— .     Ill  I  m 

(a)  Nunc  vero  cumlibertas  rellitua  fit,  et  draco  ille  providentii 
quidem  Dei  optlmi  maximi,  miniderio  autem  noftro  a  reipublic;c  ad  - 
miniflratione  fubmotus;  cquidemexiftimodivinam  potciuiam  omni- 
bus clariffnTie  innotuifTe.  &c.  Eufeb.  de  Vita  Conflant.  Lib.  2.  Cap. 
46.  SocratisHill.  Ecclef  Lib.  i.  Cap.  9.  Theodoret.  Lib.  i.Cap.  15. 

{b)  Eufcb.  de  Vita  Conllant.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  3.  I-Ioilern  ilium  et 
inimicum  generis  humani,  qui  impiorum  tyranncrum  opt;ri  cede- 
fiam  Dei  oppugnaverat,  fub  draconis  forma. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  283 

were  ftill  many  Pagans  intermixed  with  the  Chriftians,  and  the 
devil  would  incite  frefli  troubles  and  difturbanccs  on  earth,  be- 
caufe  he  knoiveth  that  he  hath  hut  a  fljort  tifne^  it  would  not  be 
long  before  the  Pagan  religion  fhould  be  totally  aboliflicd,  and 
the  Chriftian  religion  prevail  in  all  the  Roman  empire. 

13  And  when  the  dragon  faw  that  he  was  cad  unto  the 
earth,  he  perfecuted  the  woman  which  brought  forth  the 
instn-child. 

14  And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great 
eagle,  that  fhe  might  fly  into  the  wilder nefs,  into  her 
place :  where  fhe  is  nourifhed  for  a  time,  and  times,  and 
half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the  ferpent. 

15  And  the  ferpent  caft  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a 
flood,  after  the  woman ;  that  hfe  might  caufe  her  to  be 
carried  away  of  the  flood. 

16  And  the  earth  helped  the  woman,  and  the  earth 
opened  her  mouth,  and  fwallowed  up  the  flood,  which  the 
dragon  caft  out  of  his  mouth. 

17  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  woman,  and 
went  to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  fsed,  wliich 
kept  the  commandments  of  God,  and  have  the  teftimoay 
of  JefusChrift. 

When  the  dragon  was  thus  dcpofed  from  the  imperial  throne> 
and  cajl  unto  the  earthy  (ver.  13.)  he  ftill  continued  to  per- 
fecute  the  church  with  equal  malice,  though  not  with  equal 
power.  He  made  feveral  attempts  to  reftore  the  Pagan  idola- 
try in  the  reign  of  Conftantine,  and  afterwards  in  the  reign 
of  Julian;  he  traduced  and  abufed  the  Chriftian  religion  by 
fuch  writers  as  Hierocles,  Libanius,  Eunapius,  and  others  of 
the  fame  (lamp  and  character ;  he  rent  and  troubled  the  church 
with  herefies  and  fchlfms  ;  he  ftirred  up  the  favorers  of  the 
Arians,  and  efpecially  the  kings  of  the  Vandals  in  Africa,  to 
perfecute  and  deftroy  the  orthodox  Chriftians.  Thefe  things, 
as  [a]  Eufebius  faith  upon  one  of  thefe  occafions,  fome  mali- 
cious and  wicked  demon,  envying  the  profpcrity  of  the  church, 
effected.  But  the  church  was  ftill  under  the  prote(ftion  of  the 
empire,  (ver.  14.)  and  to  the  woman  were  given  two  ivings  of  u 

{a)  Hsc  liver  invidx,  et  malignus  dsmon  ecclefix  felicitateni 
femper  segre  ferens,  in  noilram  perniciem  machinatus  eil.  Euieb. 
de  Vita  Conilant.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  73. 


a84        DISSERTATIONS     on 

great  eagle.  As  God  faid  to,  the  children  of  Krael,  Exod.  xix. 
4.  "  Ye  have  feen  what  I  did  unto  the  Egyptians,  and  how  I 
*'  bare  you  on  eagles  wings,  and  brought  you  unto  mylelf ;"  ib 
the  church  was  fupported  and  carried  as  it  were  on  eagles 
wings:  but  the  fmiiiitude  is  the  more  proper  in  this  cafe,  an 
eagle  being  the  Roman  enfign,  and  the  tvjo  wings  alluding 
probably  to  thedivifion  that  was  then  made  of  the  eaftern  and 
the  weftern  empire.  In  this  manner  was  the  church  prote<3:ed, 
and  thefe  wings  were  given^  that  Jhe  might  Jly  into  the  wilder- 
nefsy  into  a  place  of  retirement  and  fecurity,  from  the  face  of 
the  ferpent.  Not  that  Ihe  fled  into  the  wildernefs  at  this  time, 
but  feveral  years  afterwards  ;  and  there  Jhe  is  nourijhed  for  a 
iijne^  and  times .^  and  half  a  time^  that  is  three  prophetic  years 
and  a  half,  which  is  the  fame  period  with  the  thotfayidtwo  hun- 
dred and  threefcore  days  or  years  before-mentioned.  So  long 
the  church  is  to  remain  in  a  defolate  and  afFiicted  ftate,  during 
the  reign  of  Antichrift  ;  as  Elijah,  (i  Kings  xvii.  xviii.  Luke 
iv.  25,  26.)  while  idolatry  and  famine  prevailed  in  Ifrael,  was 
iecretly  fed  and  nourifhed  three  years  and  fix  months  in  the 
wildernefs.  But  before  the  woman  fled  into  the  wildernefs, 
the  ferpent  cafi  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  Rood^  (ver.  15.) 
with  intent  to  wafh  her  away.  Waters  in  the  Itile  of  the  Apo- 
calyps  (xvii.  16.)  fignify  peoples  and  nations-^  fo  that  here  was 
a  great  inundation  of  the  various  nations,  excited  by  the  dra- 
gon or  the  friends  and  patrons  of  the  old  idolatry,  to  opprefs 
and  overwhelm  the  Chriftian  religion.  Such  appeared  plainly 
to  have  been  the  defign  of  the  dragon,  when  (^)  Stilicho, 
prime  minifter  of  the  emperor  Honorius,  iirft  invited  the  bar- 
barous heathen  nations,  the  Goths  Alans,  Sueves,  and  Van- 
dals, to  invade  the  Roman  empire,  hoping  by  their  means  to 
raife  his  fon  Eucherius  to  the  throne,  who  from  a  boy  v/as  an 
enemy  to  the  Chriftians,  and  threatened  to  fignalize  the  begin- 
ning   of  his   reign  with   the  reftoration  of  the  Pagan,    and 

(^)  Interea  comes  Stilicho,  Vandalorum  inbeliis,  avara^,  perfidse 
et  dolofa;  gentis  genere  editus  parvipendens  quod  fub  imperatore 
imperabat,  Eucherium  filiiim  fuum,  ficut  a  plerifque  traditur,  jam 
indeChriltianoram.pcrfccutionem  a  pueroprivatoque  meditantem, 
in  imperium  quoquo  modo  fiirdncre  nitebatur.  Quamobrem  Ala- 
ricum,  cundamque  Gothorum  gentum,  ^c. — Eucherius,  qui  ad 
conciliandum  fibi  favorem  Pag.inorum,  rcllitutionc  templorum  et 
everfione  ecclefiarum  imbuturum  fe  regni  primordia  minabatur, 
hz.  Orcfii  Hift.  Lib.  7.  Cap,  38.  F.  571.  F.dit.  Havercamp.  Vide 
etiam  Jornandem  de  Rebus  Greticis  et  de  Rcgn.  Succefle,  et 
Piiahim  Diaccnum.  Lib.  i  v 


THE     P  RO  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  285 

abolition  of  the  Chriftian  religion.  Nothing  indeed  was  more 
jikely  to  produce  the  ruin  and  utter  fubverlion  of  the  Chriflian 
church,  than  the  irruptions  of  fo  many  barbarous  Heathen  na- 
tions, into  the  Pvoman  empire.  But  the  event  proved  con- 
trary to  human  appearance  and  expectation ;  the  earth  fwal- 
louued  up  the  flood  \  (ver.  16.)  the  Barbarians  were  rather 
fwallowed  up  by  the  Romans  than  the  Romans  by  the  Bar- 
barians ;  the  Heathen  conquerors  inflead  of  impofing  their 
own,  fubmitted  to  the  religion  of  the  conquered  Chrillians ; 
and  they  not  only  embraced  the  religion,  but  affe6tcd  even  the 
laws,  the  manners,  the  culloms,  the  language,  and  the  very 
uame  of  Romans,  fo  that  the  vicftors  were  in  a  manner  abforb- 
ed  and  loft  among  the  vanquiihed.  This  courfe  not  fucceed- 
ing  according  to  probable  expectation,  the  dragon,  did  not  there- 
fore delift  from  his  purpofe,  (ver.  17.)  but  only  took  another 
method  of  perfecuting  the  true  fons  of  the  church,  as  we  fliall 
fee  in  the  next  chapter.  It  is  faid  that  he  went  to  make  war 
with  the  remnant  of  her  feed^  who  kept  the  co?nma7id?nents  of 
Gody  and  have  the  tefiimony  of  Jefus\  which  implies  that  at 
this  time  there  was  only  a  remnant^  that  corruptions  were  great- 
ly increafed,  and  the  faithfii^  were  deminifoed  from  among  the 
children  of  men. 


C  H  A  P.     XIII. 


I     yl    N  D    I  ftood  upon  the  fand  of  the  fea,  and  Taw 
Xx.  ^  beaft  rife  up  out  of  the  fea,  having  feven  heads, 
and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns,  and  upon 
his  heads  the  name  of  blafphemy, 

2  And  the  beaft  which  I  faw  was  like  unto  a  leopard, 
and  his  feet  were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  his  mouth  as 
the  mouth  of  a  lion;  and  the  dragon  gave  him  his  power, 
and  his  feat,  and  great  authority. 

3  And  1  faw  one  of  his  heads,  as  it  were  wounded  to 
death  ;  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed :  and  all  the 
world  wondered  after  the  beaft. 

4  And  they  worfhipped  the  dragon  which  gave  power 
unto  the  beaft :  and  they  worftiipped  the  beaft,  faying. 
Who  is  like  unto  the  beaft  j  who  is  able  to  m.ake  war 
with  him? 


286        DISSERTATIONS     on 

5  And  there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  fpeaking 
great  things,  and  blafi-)hemies ;  and  power  v/as  given 
unto  him  to  continue  forty  and  two  months. 

6  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blafphemy  againft  God, 
to  blafpheme  his  name,  and  his  tabernacle,  and  them  that 
dwell  in  heaven. 

7  And  it  was  gi'/en  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the 
faints,  and  to  overcome  them:  and  power  was  given  him 
over  all  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  nations. 

8  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  fiiall  worfhip  him, 
whofe  names  are  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the 
Lamb  flain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

9  If  any  man  have  an  ear,  let  him  hear. 

10  He  that  leadeth  into  captiv'ity,  fliall  go  into  captivi- 
ty: He  that  killeth  with  the  fword,  muil:  be  killed  with 
the  fword.  Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the 
faints. 

Here  the  beafl  is  defcribed  at  large,  who  was  only  mentioned 
before  ;  (xi.  7.)  and  a  beajf  in  the  prophetic  ftyle  is  a  tyrannical 
idolatrous  empire.  The  kingdom  of  God  and  of  Chriil  is  ne- 
ver reprefented  under  the  image  of  a  beaj}.  As  Daniel  (vii. 
2,  3.)  \:)Qh<t\d  fou7'  great  beajis^  reprefenting  the  four  great  em- 
pires, co?ne  up  from  a.  ftormyy^'^,  that  is  from  the  commotions 
of  the  world;  fo  bt.  John  (ver.  i.)  faw  this  beajl  in  like  man- 
ner rife  up  out  ofthefea.  He  was  faid  before  (xl.  7.)  to  afcend 
out  of  the  abyfs  or  bottomlcfs  pit^  and  it  is  faid  afterwards  (xviii. 
8.)  that  be  fhall  afcend  out  of  the  abyfs  or  bottomlefs  pit;  and 
here  he  is  faid  to  afcend  out  ofthefea ;  fo  that  the  fea  and  abyfs 
or  bottomlefs  pit  are  in  thefe  paitages  the  fame.  No  doubt  is 
to  be  made,  that  this  beail  was  deiigned  to  reprefent  the  Ro- 
rnan  em^pire;  for  thus  far  both  ancients  and  moderns,  papifts 
and  proteftants  are  agreed;  the  only  doubt  and  controverfv  is, 
whether  it  v/as  Rome,  Pagan  or  Chriilian,  imperial  or  papal, 
which  may  perhaps  be  full  and  clearly  determined  in  the  fe- 
quel. 

St.  John  faw  this  beaft  rifwg  out  of  the  fea,  but  the  Roman 
empire  v/as  rif^n  and  cftabliflied  long  before  St.  John's  time; 
and  therefore  this  muft  be  the  Roman  empire,  not  in  its  :hcn 
prefcnt,  but  infome  future  fhape  and  f)rm;  and  it  arofe  in  an- 
otheV  Ihape  and  form,  after  it  was  broken  to  pieces  by  the  in- 
curfions  of  the  northern  nations.     The  bcaft  hath  fcven  heads 


T  K  E     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  287 

and  ten  horns^  which  are  the  well  known  marks  and  fignals  of 
the  Roman  empire,  feven  heads  alluding  to  the  fevcn  moun- 
tains whereon  Rome  was  fituatcd,  and  to  the  fcven  forms  of 
government,  which  fucceflivcly  prevailed  there,  and  the  ten 
boms  fignifying  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  Roman  em- 
pire was  divided.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  dragon  had  feven 
crowns  upon  his  heads^  but  the  bead  hath  upon  his  horns  ten 
croivns :  lb  that  there  had  been  in  the  mean  while  a  revolution 
of  power  from  the  heads  of  the  dragon  to  the  horns  of  the 
beaft,  and  the  foverelgnty,  which  before  was  excrcifcdby  Rome 
alone,  was  now  transferred  and  divided  among  ten  kingdoms; 
but  the  Roman  empire  was  not  divided  into  ten  kingdoms,  un- 
til after  it  was  become  Chriftian.  Although  the  heads  had  loft 
their  crowns,  yet  there  ilill  remained  the  na?ne  of  hlafphemy.  In 
all  its.  heads,  in  all  its  forms  of  government  Rome  was  ftill 
guilty  of  idolatry  and  blafphemy.  Imperial  Rome  was  called, 
and  delighted  to  be  called,  [a]  the  eternal  city ^  the  hea^uenly  city^ 
the  goddefs  of  the  earthy  the  goddefs ;  and  had  her  temples  and 
altars  with  incenfe  and  facrifices  offered  up  to  her :  and  how 
the  papal  Rome  likewife  hath  arrogated  to  herfelf  divine  titles 
and  honors,  there  will  be  a  fitter  occafion  offhowing  in  the 
following  part  of  this  defcription. 

As  Daniel's  fourth  beafl  (vii.  7.)  was  without  a  name,  and 
devoured  and  brake  in  pieces  the  three  former:  fo  this  beaft 
(ver.  2.)  is  alfo  without  a  name,  and  partakes  of  the  nature  and 
qualities*  of  the  three  former,  having  the  body  of  a  leopardy 
which  was  the  third  beaft  or  Grecian  empire,  and  the  feet  of  a 
bear^  which  was  tlie  fecond  beaft  or  Perfian  empire,  and  the 
mouth  of  a  lion^  which  was  the  firft  beaft  or  Babylonian  empire: 
and  confequently  this  muft  be  the  fame  as  Daniel's  fourth  beaft 

[a)  Urbem  seternam.  Ammian.  Marcell.  Lib.  14.  Cap.  6.  P.  19. 
Edit.  Valefii.  Paris  1681.  Urbis  ab  a.".ernae,  Sec.  Aufonii Epigram. 
3  de  FalHs.  Athenaii  Lib.  i.  P.  20.  Edit.  Cafauhon.  Terrarum  dea, 
gentiumque  Roma.  Ciii  par  eft  nihil,  et  nihil  fecundum.  Martial. 
Lib.  12.  Epigram.  8.  Ita  Romam,  orbis  caput,  tanqur.m  cxlelte 
aliquod  numen,  feu  terrarum  deam  gentiumque  a  Bilbilitano  vatc 
di6lam,  divinis  honoribus,  tempiis,  lacerdotibus,  acdituis,  ipfo  ap- 
pcllatione,  quad  plures  Gra^^carum  iilarum  civitatum  nummi  eilen- 
dunt,  fibi  condecorandam  exiftimarunt.  Quo  autem  referendum  mihi 
x'idetur  illudnomcn  blafphemice,  quad  feptero  capitibus  inlcriptum 
geftaiTe  legitur  beftia  in  facro  Revelationem  libro,  et  quod  Hieo- 
nymus  so  Profper  ad  urbis  aetern^  appellationem  retulerunt,  Roma; 
cum  alibi,  turn  in  nummis  ejus  itidem  familiarem.  Spanhcmii  DifTert. 
Tartia  de  Proliant,  et  Ufu  Numm.  Ant.  Sea.  3.  P.  138.  Vol.  L 


i2S        DISSERTATIONS    o  r.- 

or  the  Roman  empire.  But  ftill  it  is  not  the  fame  beafl,  the 
fame  empire  entirely,  but  with  feme  variation  ;  a?2d  (<?)  thif 
dragGft  gave  him  his  poivr  or  his  armies,  and  his  feat  or  his 
imperial  throne,  and  great  authority  or  jurii^Jiction  over  all  the 
parts  of  his  empire.  The  beajl  therefore  is  the  fuccefPor  and 
fubftitute  of  the  dragon  or  oF  the  idolatrous  heathen  Reman 
empire:  and  wha:  other  idolatrous  power  hath  fucceeded  to 
the  heathen  emperors  in  Rome,  all  the  world  is  a  j  idge  and  a 
witnefs.  The  dragon  having  failed  in  his  purpofe  of  reftoring 
the  old  heathen  idolatry,  delegates  his  power  to  the  heajl^  and 
tliereby  introduces  a  new  fpecies  of  idolatry,  nom.inally  differ- 
ent, but  effentially  the  fame,  the  worfhip  of  angels  and  faints 
inltead  of  the  gods  and  demigods  of  antiquity.    ^ 

Another  mark,  whereby  the  beaft  was  peculiarly  diftinguifli- 
ed,  was  (ver.  3.)  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were  wounded  to  death. 
It  will  appear  hereafter,  that  this  head  was  the  fixth  head,  for 
five  were  fallen  (xvii.  lo.)  before  St.  John's  time:  and  the 
"fixth  head  was  that  of  the  C^efars  or  emperors,  there  having 
been  before  kings,  and  confuls,  and  didtators,  and  decemvirs, 
and  military  tribunes  with  confular  authority.  The  fixth  head 
v/as  wounded  as  it  were  to  deaths  when  the  Roman  empire  was 
overturned  by  ihe  northern  nations,  and  an  end  was  put  to  the 
Very  name  of  emperor  in  Nom.yllus  Auguftulus:  or  rather, 
as  the  government  of  the  Gothic  kings  was  {b)  much  the  fame 
as  that  of  the  emperors  with  only  a  chan_o;e  of  the  name,  this 
head  was  more  effectually  wounded  to  deaths  when  R.ome  was 
reduced  to  a  poor  dukedom,  and  made  tributary  to  the  exar- 

{a)  Imperium  Romano-"?apa!e  tunc  narum  vkletur,  quum  papani 
omnium  ecclefiarum  caput  effe  dixit  Jailinianus.V. Cod.  L.  i.T.  i. 
A.  D.  533,  et  534,  idque  non  verbo  lantum  fignincavit  fed  miffis  ad 
eum  epifcopis,  quafilegatis.  Id  Gregorius  I.  in  fine  feculi  fexti  in 
cpifcopos  Hifpania^,  Gallise,  &c.  fatis  fuperbeexercuit ;  ilicceiTores 
feculi  feptimi  multo  etiam  magis.  In  utroque  feculo  faventibus 
papis  invalucre  imaginum  cultus,  et  fanclorura  invocatio  :  nam  hie 
ipfe  Gregorius  litaniis  inferuii  nomen  beatre  virginis  Marix.  En 
igitur  blafphemias.  Seculo  oiStavo  A.  D.  727.  impsrium  civile 
Romae,  et  ducatus  Romani,  excommunicato  pulfoque  imperatorc 
Greco,  arripuit  papa  (feUe  Anallafio  et  Sigonio  de  Regno  Italirs 
L..  3.)  Gregorius  II.  Interea  non  orthodoxi,  i.  e.  papi-:  dilfenti-^ntcs 
infames,  extorres,  intellabiles  impj.  legibus  fadli  fant,  V.  Cod.  in 
quo  canones  sequantur  legibus.  Sec.  Nonne  hxrc  omnia  fatis  clare 
prsftant  magnam  iilam  bcllia;  jam  orta:  poteilatcm  a  dracone  tra- 
ditam,  &c.  &c.  Mr.  Mann's  M.  S.         _ 

(^b)  — regnum  veteris  imperii  ex  omni  parte  fimillimum.  Sigoni- 
us  de  Occidcntali  Imperio.  Lib.  16.   Ann.  494. 


T  H  3     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  289 

chate  of  Pwavenna:  and  Sigonius,  who  hath  written  the  beft 
of  thefe  times  and  of  thefe  affairs,  includes  the  hiftory  of  the 
Gothic  kings  in  his  hiftory  of  the  wejiern  e7nfird.  But  not 
onJy  one  of  his  heads  was  as  were  wounded  to  death,  but  his 
deadly  wound  was  healed.  If  it  was  the  fixth  head  which 
was  wounded,  that  wound  could  not  be  healed  by  the  rifing  of 
the  feventh  head,  as  interpreters  commonly  conceive;  the 
fame  head  which  was  wounded,  muft  be  healed:  and  this  was 
eiFe(fl:ed  by  the  Pope  and  people  of  Rome  revolting  from  the 
exarch  of  Ravenna,  proclaiming  Charles  the  great  Auguf- 
tus  and  emperor-of  the  Romans.  Here  the  wounded  imperial 
head  was  healed  again,  and  hath  fubfifted  ever  fmce.  At  this 
time,  partly  through  the  Pope,  and  partly  through  the  emperor 
fupj>orting  and  ftrengthening  each  other,  the  Roman  name  again 
became  formidable:  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the  beajiy 
and  (ver.  4.)  they  worjhippedthe  dragon  which  gave  power  unto 
the  heajls^  and  they  worjhipped  the  beaj}^  fiy^^g  J  ^^^^  '^  ^^^1^ 
unto  the  heajl?  Who  is  able  to  make  war  ivith  him  F  No  king- 
dom or  empire  was  like  that  of  the  beaft,  it  had  not  a  parallel 
upon  earth,  and  it  was  in  vain  for  any  to  refjl  or  oppofe  it,  it 
prevailed  and  triumphed  over  all:  and  all  the  world  In  (uh^ 
mitting  thus  to  the  religion  of  the  beaft,  did  in  effect  fubmit 
again  to  the  religion  of  the  dragon,  it  being  the  old  idolatry 
with  only  new  names.  The  worftiipping  of  demons  and  idols 
is  in  effeS:  the  worftiipping  of  devils. 

Wonderful  as  the  beaft  was,  his  w^ords  and  a£lIons  (ver.' 
^ — 8. )  are  no  lefs  wonderful.  He  perfecTtly  refembles  the  little 
horn  m  Daniel.  As  the  little  horn,  (Dan.  vii.  8,  25.)  hath  "  a 
"  mouth  fpeaking  great  things,"  and  "fpake  great  words  agalnft: 
"  the  moft  High  ;"  fo  "  there  was  given  unto  the  beaft  a  mouth 
"  fpeaking  great  things,  and  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blafphemy 
"  againft  God."  As  the  little  horn,  Dan.  vii.  22.  "  made  war 
«  v/ith  the  faints,  and  prevailed  againft  them  i"  fo  "  it  was 
"  given  unto  the  beaft  to  make  war  with  the  faints  and  to  over- 
"  come  them."  As  the  little  horn  profpered,  Dan.  vii.  25- 
"  until  a  time,  and  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time,"  that  is 
three  prophetic  years  and  a  half;  fo  power  ivas  given  unto  the 
beafl  to  continue^  to  praftife  and  profper,/7r/y  aiid  two  months y 
which  is  exa61:ly  the  fame  portion  of  time  as  three  years  and  a 
half.  We  fee  that  not  only  the  fame  images,  but  almoft  the 
fame  words  are  employed ;  and  the  portraits  being  fo  perfe^ly 
alike,  it  might  fairly  be  prefumcd,  if  there  was  no  other  argu-- 
ment,  that  they  were  both  drawn  for  the  fame  perion :  and 

Vol.  II.  O  o 


290  D  I  S  S  E  R  T.A  T  I  N  O  S    ®N 

having  before  clearly  dircovered  who  fat  for  the  one,  we  can- 
not now  be  at  any  lofs  to  determine  who  fat  for  the  other. 
It  is  the  Roman  bcall:  in  his  laft  ftate  or  under  his  feventh 
head  :  and  he  hath  a  mouth  fpeaking  great  things  and  blafphe- 
jnies ',  and  What  can  be  greater  things  and  blafphemies^  than  the 
{a)  claims  oi  univerfal  bijhop^  infallible  judge  of  all  controvert 
Jies^  fovereign  of  kings^  and  difpofer  of  kingdoms-,  vicegerent  of 
Chrifi^  and  God  upon  earth  !  He  hath  alfo  pozver  to  continue  or 
rather  to  pradife,  prevail,  and  profper,  forty  and  two  months. 
Some  read,  to  make  war-,  not  rightly  underftanding,  I  fuppofe, 
what  was  meant  by  the  Greeks :  but  it  fignifies  to  pra^ife,  to 
prevail^  and  profper,  as  the  words  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek 
are  (i')  ufed  by  Daniel  and  the  Greek  tranflators.     It  doth  not 
therefore  follow,  that  the  beaft  is  to  continue  to  ex  iff  for  no  lon- 
ger a  term,  but  he  is  to  pra^ife,  to  profper,  and  prevail  forty 
and  two  months ;  as  the  holy  city  (xi.  2.)  is    to  be  trodden  un- 
der foot  of  the   Gentiles  forty  and  two  months  which  are  the 
one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty  days  or  years  of  the  reign 
of  Antichrift.     But  if  by  the  beaft  be  underftood  the  Heathen 
Roman  empire,  inftead  of  fubfifting  one  thoufand  two  hundred 
and  fixty,  did  not  fubfift  four  hundred  years  after  the  date  of 
-this  prophecy. 

After  this  general  account  of  the  blafphemies  and  exploits 
of  the  beaft,  there  follows  a  fpecification  of  the  particulars. 
He  opened  his  mouth  in  hlafphemy  againji  God.  Blafphemy 
againft  God  may  be  faid  to  be  of  two  kinds,  not  only  fpeaking 
diflionorably  of  the  fupreme  Being,  but  likewife  attributing  to 
the  creature  what  belongs  to  the  Creator,  as  in  idolatry  ;  which 
is  often  the  fenfe  of  the  word  in  fcripture;  as  in  Ifaiah  Ixv.  7, 
*'  They  have  burnt  incenfe  upon  the  mountains,  and  blafphem- 
"  ed  me  upon  the  hills  ;"  and  in  feveral  other  places,  fie  blaf 
phemes  the  name  of  God  byaflliming  the  divine  titles  and  honors 
to  himfelf,  and  as  it  is  exprefled  in  the  Wifdom  of  Solomon, 
xiv.  21.  by  "afcribing  unto  ftones  and  ftocks  the  incommuni- 
cable name."     Yichlaf phemes  the  tabernacle  of  God,  his  temple 

(«)  Ste  the  Introduftion  to  Barrow's  Treatife  of  the  Pope's  Su- 
premacy. 

[b)  Et  faciet,  et  profperabitur,  *'  and  it  pradifed,  and  profper- 
•*  ed."  Dan.  viii.  iz.et  profperabitur,  et  faciet,  '^and  fliall  prof- 
**  per,  and  praftife,"  ver.  24.  et  faciet  in  eis,  et  confortabitur, 
**  and  fhall  deal  againft  them,  and  ihall  prevail,"  Dan.  xi.  7.  et 
faciet,  **  and  he  fhall  do  exploits."  ver.  28.  Sec  alfo  vex.  30. 


/      T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  291 

and  his  church,  by  calling  true  Chriftlans,  who  are  the  houic 
of  God,  fchifinatics  and  heretics,  and  anathematizing  them  ac- 
cordingly:  or  as  you  may  underftand  it,  by  perverting  the 
places  dedicated  to  the  worlhip  of  faints  and  angels.  He  hiaf- 
phemes  thern  that  dwelt  in  heaven^  angels  and  glorified  faints,  by 
idolatrous  worftiip  and  impious  ador:ition  ;  and  dif}»;raccs  their 
a6ts,  and  vilifies  their  memories,  by  fabulous  legends  and  lying 
miracles. 

So  much  for  his  blafphemies ;  nor  are  his  exploits  Icfs  ex- 
traordinary. It  was  given  unto  him  to  make  xvar  with  thefaintr 
and  to  overcome  them  :  And  who  can  make  any  computation, 
or  even  frame  any  conception  of  the  numbers  of  pious  Chrifti- 
ans,  who  have  fallen  a  facrifice  to  the  bigotry  and  cruelty  of 
Rome  ?  Mede  upon  the  place  [a)  hath  obferved  from  good 
authorities,  that  in  the  war  with  the  Albigenfes  and  Waldenfes, 
there  perifhed  of  thefe  poor  creatures  in  France  alone  a  million. 
From  the  firft  infi.:tution  of  the  Jefuits  to  the  year  one  thoufand 
four  hundred  and  eighty,  that  is  in  little  more  than  thirty 
years  nine  hundred  thoufand  orthodox  Chriftians  were  flain.  In 
the  Netherlands  alone,  the  Duke  of  Alva  boafted,  that  within 
a  few  years  he  had  difpatched  to  the  amount  of  thirty-ftx  thoU" 
fand  fouls,  and  thofe  all  by  the  hand  of  the  common  execution- 
er. In  the  fpace  of  fcarce  thirty  years,  the  inquifition  deftroyed 
by  various  kinds  of  tortures  a  hundred  and  fifty  thoufand 
Chriftians^  Sanders  himfelf  confefles,  that  an  innumerable 
multitude  of  Lollards  and  Sacramentarians  were  burnt  through- 
out all  Europe,  who  yet  he  fays  were  not  put  to  death  by 

(a)  Prima  ejus  expeditio  incubuit  in  Albigenfes  et  Waldenfes, 
et  fi  quo  alio  nomine  tuncappelluti  fmt  vere  Chrifti  cultores :  quo- 
rum tanta  ftrages  edita  fuit  ut  per  Galliam  folam,  fi  P.  Perionius 
in  ejus  belli  hiiloria  refte  calculum  inierit,  occifa  fint  ad  decies 
centena  hominum  millia. — Aborigine  Jefuitarum,  ad  annum  1480, 
hoc  eft,  paulo  pluribus  quam  30  annis,  orthodoxorum  nongenta 
fere  millia  fuiffe  trucidata,  notat  Balduinus  de  Antichriilo.  In 
Belgio  folo,  idque  manu  folum  carnificis,  fa^vus  ille  pugil  Romanae 
fedis  dux  Albanus,  ad  36  animarum  millia,  fe  authore,  intra 
paucos  annos  fublata  gloriatus  eft  Teftatur  Vcrgerius,  qui  optime 
novit,  Inquifitionem,  ut  vocant,  ha^retic^  pravitatis  vix  triginti 
annoram  fpatio  centum  quinqnaginta  Chriftianorum  millia  di- 
verfis  affliaionum  generibus  confumpfiffe.  Fatetur  Sanderus 
infinites  Lolhardos  at  Sacramentarios  in  tota  Eiiropa  ignibus  tra- 
ditos  fuifte  ;  quos  tamen  ait  ille  non  a  papa  et  epifcopis,  led  a  poli- 
ticis  magiftratibus  neci  dates  fuiffe.  Nimirum  fix  juxta  prophc- 
tiam  rem  gerioportuit :  nam  de  fteculari  bcftia  dicitur,  quod  fanc- 
tis  bellum  faceret,  eofque  vinceret.  Mede,  P.  533,  504. 


292 


DISSERTATIONS     on 


the  Pope  and  bifhops,  but  by  the  civil  magiftrates  ;  which 
perfe6lly  agrees  with  this  prophecy,  for  of  the  fecular  hcaji 
it  isfaid,  that  he  fhould  make  vuar  with  the  faints  and  overcome 
ihe?n.  I'To  wonder  that  by  thefe  means  he  fhould  obtain  an 
univerfal  authority  over  all  kindreds^  and  tongues^  and  nations.^ 
and  eflablifh  his  dominion  in  all  the  countries  of  the  weftern 
Roman  empire:  and  that  they  fhould  not  only  fubmit  to  his 
decrees,  but  even  adore  his  perfon,  except  the  faithful  few, 
whofe  names,  as  citizens  of  heaven,  were  inrolled  in  the  rc- 
giflers  of  life.  Let  the  Romanifts  boafl  therefore  that  theirs 
is  the  catholic  church  and  univerfal  empire:  this  is  fo  far  from 
being  any  evidence  of  the  truth,  that  it  is  the  very  brand  in  = 
£xed  by  the  Spirit  of  prophecy. 

It  was  cuflomary  with  our  Saviour,  when  he  would  have 
his  auditors  pay  a  particular  attention  to  what  he  had  been  fay- 
ing, to  add  He  who  hath  ears  to  hear^  let  him  hear.     St.  John 
repeats  the  fame  admonition  at  the  end   of  each  of  the  feven 
epiftles  to  the  feven  churches  of  Afia,  and  here  in  the  conclu- 
£on  of  his  defcription  of  the  beafl,  (ver.  9.)   If  any  man  have 
£Ln  ear-,  let  hii^  hear  :  and  certainly  the  defcription  of  the  beaft 
is  deferving  of  the  highefl  attention  upon  many  accounts,  and 
particularly  becaufe  the  right  interpretation  of  the  Apocalyps 
turneth  upon  it,  as  one  of  its  main  hinges.     It  is  added  by  way 
of  confolation  to  the  church,  that  thefe  enemies  of  God  and 
of  Chrifl,  reprefented  under  the  character  of  the  beafl,  fhall 
aufFer  the  law  of  retaliation,  and  be  as  remarkably  punifhed 
and  tormented   themfelves,  as   they   punifhed  and  tormented 
others,  (ver.  10.)  He  who  Icadcth  into  captivity.,  fhall  go  into 
captivity  \  He  who  killeth  with  the  fword^  muji  he  killed  with  the 
fword.      Such  a  promife  might  adminifl:er  fome  comfort;  and 
indeed  it  would  be  wanted ;  for  the  patience  and   the  faith  of 
the  faints  would  be  tried  to  the  utmofl  during  the  reign  of  the 
beafl.      Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  faints.     Of  all 
the  trials    and  perfecutions  of  the  church  this   would    be  the 
mofl  fevere,  and  exceed  thofe  of  the   primitive  times  both  in 
degree  and  in  duration. 

II  And  I  beheld  another  beaft  con^/mg  up  out  of  the 
earth,  and  he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he  fpake  as 
a  dragon. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  293 

12  And  he  exerclfcth  nil  the  power  of  the  firft  bcaft 
before  him,  and  caufeth  the  earth,  and  them  which  dwell 
therein,  to  worftiip  the  fiirft  beaft,  whofe  deadly  wound 
was  healed, 

13  And  he  doeth  great  wonders,  fo  that  he  malccth 
fire  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in  the  fight  of 
men. 

14  And 'deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by 
the  means  of  thofe  miracles  which  he  had  power  to  do  in 
the  fight  of  the  beaft,  faying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth,  that  they  fhould  make  an  image  to  the  beaft  which 
had  the  wound  by  a  fword,  and  did  live. 

15  And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image  of 
the  beaft,  that  the  image  of  the  beaft  ftiould  both  fpeak, 
and  caufe  that  as  many  as  would  not  worftiip  the  image  of 
the  beaft,  fhould  be  killed. 

16  And  he  caufeth  all,  both  fmali  and  great,  rich  and 
poor,  free  and  bond,  to  receive  a  mark  in  their  right 
hand,  or  in  their  foreheads: 

17  And  that  no  man  might  buy  or  fell,  fave  he  that 
had  the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beaft,  or  the  number 
of  his  name. 

18  Here  is  wifdom.  Let  him  that  hath  underftanding 
count  the  number  of  the  beaft:  for  it  is  the  number  of  a 
man ;  and  his  number  is  fix  hundred  threefcore  and  fix. 

From  the  defcriptlon  of  the  ten  horned  heaji  or  Roman  ftate 
in  general,  the  prophet  pafteth  to  that  of  the  two-horned  heajl 
or  Roman  church  in  particular.     The  heajl  with  ten  crowned 
horns  is  the  Roman  empire  as  divided  into  ten  kingdoms;  the 
heaJi  with  two  horns  like  a  lamh  is  the  Roman  hierarchy,  or  body 
of  the  clergy  regular  and  fecular.     This  beaft  is  otherwife  cal- 
led the  falfe  prophet^  as  we  fhall  fee  in  feveral  inftances  ;  than 
which  there  cannot  ht  a  ftronger  or  plainer  argument  to  prore, 
that  falfe  doctors  or  teachers  were  particularly  defigned.     For 
the  falfe  prophet  no  more  than  the  heaJi  is  a  fingle  mrin,  but  a 
body  or   fucceflion    of  men  propagating  falfe  doctrines,  and 
teaching  lies  for  facred  truths.     As  the  firft  beaft  rofe  up  cut  of 
the  feay  that  is  out  of  the  wars  and  tumults  of  the  world  ;  (o 
this  beaft  (ver.  il.)  groweth  up  out  of  the  earth  like  plants  fi- 
iently  and  without  noife;  and  the  greateft  prelates  have  often 
been  raifed  from  monks   and  men  of  the   lowcft   birth  and 


294        DISSERTATIONS    on 

parentage.  He  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb  ;  he  had,  both  regular 
and  fecular,  the  appearance  of  a  lamb;  he  derived  his  powers 
from  the  lamb,  and  pretended  to  be  like  the  lamb  all  meekne fs 
and  mildnefs.  But  he  /pake  as  a  dragon^  he  had  a  voice  of 
•terror  like  the  dragon  or  Roman  emperors,  in  ufurping  divine- 
titles  and  honors,  in  commanding  idolatry,  and  in  perlecuting 
and  flaying  the  true  worfhippcrs  of  God  and  faithful  fervants 
of  Jefus  Chriil.  He  is  an  ecclefiaftical  perfon^  but  intermix- 
eth  himfelf  much  in  civil  affairs.  He  is  the  prime  minifler, 
advifer  and  riiover  of  the  firji  beaft^  or  the  beafl  before  menti- 
oned, (ver.  12.)  He  exerctfeth  all  the  power  of  the  firji  beajl 
before  him.  He  holdeth  imperimn  in  i??iporioy  a.n  empire  v^athin 
an  empire;  claimeth  a  temporal  authority  as  well  as  afpiritual ; 
hath  not  only  the  principal  direction  of  the  temporal  powers, 
but  often  engageth  them  in  his  fervice,  and  enforceth  his  ca- 
nons and  decrees  with  the  fword  of  the  civil  magifi:rate.  As 
the  firfl  beift  concurs  to  n:iaintain  his  authority,  fo  he  in  return 
confirms  and  maintains  the  fovereignty  and  dominion  of  the 
firfl  beafl  over  his  fubje6ts ;  and  caufeth  the  earthy  and  the?rz 
who  dwell  therei'fi^  to  worjhip  the  frji  beajl^  whofe  deadly  wound 
-was  healed.  He  fupports  tyranny,  as  he  is  by  tyranny  Support- 
ed. He  enfiaves  the  cbnfciences,  as  the  firff  bead  fubjugates 
the  bodies  of  men.  As  Mr.  Whifton  well  {a)  obfsrves,  «  He 
"  is  the  common  center  and  cement  which  unites  all  the  dif- 
"  tincSl  kingdoms  of  the  Roman  empire;  and  by  joining  with 
"  them  procures  them  a  blind  obedience  from  their  fubjeds :' 
"  and  fo  he  is  the  occafign  of  the  prefervation  of  the  old  Ro- 
*'  man  empire  in  fome  kind  of  unity,  and  name,  and  flrength ;. 
"  which  otherwife  had  been  quite  difTolved  by  the  inundations 
"  and  wars  fucceeding  the  fettlement  of  the  barbarous  nations 
"  in  that  empire." 

Such  is  the  power  and  authority  of  the  beafl,  and  now  we 
fhall  fee  what  courfes  he  perfues  to  confirm  and  eflablifh  it. 
He  pretends,  like  other  falfc  prophets,  (ver.  13.)  to  fliow 
great  figns  and  vjcnders  and  even  to  call  {ox  fire  from  Heaven^. 
as  Elias  did.  His  impoftures  too  are  fo  fuccefsful,  that  (ver.. 
14.)  he  deceiveth  them  that  divell  on  the  earthy  by  the  tneans  of 
thofe  ?niracles  which  he  hath  power  to  do.  In  this  refpeft  he 
perfedly  refembles  St.  Paul's  *'  man  of  fin,"  2  ThcfT.  ii.  9. 
"  whofe  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Satan,  with  all  power. 


(7)  Whiflon's  EfTay  on  the  Rev.  Part  3.  Vifion  5. 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


295 


^  and  figns,  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all  d;!ccivablencrs  of 
"  unrighteoufnels  :"  or  rather  they  are  one  and  the  fa.Tie  cha- 
ra<5ler  reprefcnted  in  different  lights,  and  under  diitcrcnt  names. 
It  is  farther  ohferveable,  that  he  is  faid  to  perform  his  miracles 
in  the  fight  of  ?nan  in  order  to  deceive  them,  and  in  the  fi^ht  of 
the  beaji  in  order  to  ferve  him:  but  not  in  the  fight  cf  God  to 
ferve  his  caufe,  or  promote  his  religion.  Now  miracles,  vi li- 
ons, and  revelations  are  the  mighty  boaft  of  the  church  of 
Rome  ;  the  contrivances  of  an  artful  cunning  clergy  to  impofc 
upon  an  ignorant  credulous  laity.  Even  fire  is  pretended  to 
cotne  down  from  heaven.^  as  in  the  cafe  of  St.  Anthony's  fire, 
and  other  inftances  cited  by  [a)  Brightman  and  other  writers 
on  the  revelation;  and  in  folemn  excommunications,  which 
are  called  the  thunders  of  the  church,  and  are  performed  with 
the  ceremony  of  cafting  down  burning  torches  from  on  high, 
as  fymbols  and  emblems  ot  fire  from  heaven.  Miracles  are 
thought  fo  neceffary  and  eflential,  that  they  are  reckoned  a- 
mong  the  notes  of  the  catholic  church ;  and  they  are  alled"-ed 
principally  in  fupport  of  purgatory,  prayers  for  the  dead,  the 
worfhip  of  faints,  images,  and  relics,  and  the  like  (as  they  are 
called)  catholic  dodlrines.  But  if  thefe  miracles  were  all  real, 
we  learn  from  hence  what  opinion  we  ought  to  frame  of  them; 
and  what  then  (hall  fhe  fay,  if  they  are  all  fictions  and  counter- 
feits ;  They  are  indeed  fo  far  from  being  any  proofs  of  the 
true  church,  that  they  are  rather  a  proof  of  a  falfe  one :  they 
are,  as  we  fee,  the  diftingulfhing  mark  of  Antichrift. 

The  influence  of  the  two-horned  beaft  or  corrupted  clergy  is 
farther  feenin  perfuading  and  inducing  mankind  (ver.  14.)  to 
jnake  an  image  to  the  heafi^  which  had  the  wound  by  a  fword 
and  did  alive  ;  that  is  an  image  and  reprefentatire  of  the  Roman 
empire,  which  was  wounded  by  the  fword  of  the  barbarous  na- 
tions, and  revived  in  the  revival  of  a  new  emperor  of  the  weft. 
He  had  zKo  power  (ver.  15.  to  give  life  and  activity  unto  the 
image  of  the  beaJi.  It  fhould  not  be  a  dumb  and  lifelefs  idol,  but 
fhouldy^^<7/t  and  deliver  oracles,  as  the  ftatutes  of  the  heathen 
gods  were  feigned  to  do,  and  fliould  caufe  to  be  killed  as  many 
as  would  not  worfiip  and  obey  it.  Some  by  this  image  cf  the 
heaff  (b)  underftand  "  the  rife  of  the  new  empire  of  Charle- 
"  main,  which    was  an  image  of  the   Roman   empire,  and 


{a)  Vide  Brightman.  et  Poli  Synopf.  in  locum. 
{b)  Limbarch.  Theol.  Chrilt.  Lib.  7.    Cap.  11.  Sed.  16.  Lord 
Napier  in  locum.     WhLfton's  £flay  on  the  Rev.  Fart  3.  Vifion  6. 


296  DISSERTATIONS     ON 

^  is  now  become  the  empire  of  Germany  j"  but  this  is  the  beafi 
himfelf,  zvho  had  the  zvoujid  by  a  fword  and  did  live^  and  not 
the  image  of  the  beaiji ;  the  rife  of  this  new  empire  was  the 
healing  of  his  deadly  wound,  by  which  he  lived  again.  Others 
more  probably  (^)  conceive  that  this  image  of  the  beajl  is  "  the 
"  office  of  inquifition,  which  was  introduced  among  the  blind 
"  vulgar,  as  a  popular  fcheme,  and  warmly  recommended  by 
"  the  Dominican  and  Francifcan  monks,  at  firft  without  any 
"  voice  of  command,  or  power  of  execution ;  till  courts  v/ere 
"  eredled  independent  of  bifliopsj  and  judges,  officers,  fami- 
"  liars,  prifons,  and  tormenters  were  appointed,  who  fhould 
"  put  to  exquifite  punifhments,  and  deliver  over  to  a  cruel 
"  death  all  that  would  not  fubmit  with  an  implicit  obedience:" 
but  the  office  of  inquifition  is  eftablifhed  only  in  fome  particu- 
lar poplfb  countries,  and  this  belongs  and  extends  to  all  in 
general.  As  many  as  would  not  worjhip  the  irnage  of  the  beafl^ 
the  image  of  the  beaft  Jhould  caufe  to  be  killed :  but  there  are 
many  papifts  who  do  not  receive  and  own  the  authority  of  the 
Inquifition,  and  yet  the  inquifition  doth  not  attempt  to  deftroy 
and  extirpate  all  fuch  papifts.  What  appears  moft  probable  is, 
that  this  image  and  reprefcntative  af  the  beajl  Is  the  Pope. 
He  is  properly  the  idol  of  the  church.  He  reprefents  in  him- 
felf the  whole  power  of  the  beaft,  and  is  the  head  of  all  autho- 
rity temporal  as  well  as  fpiritual.  He  is  nothing  more  than  a 
private  perfon  without  pov/er  and  without  authority,  till  the 
two-hormed  beaft  or  the  corrupted  clergy  by  choofmg  him 
Pope  give  life  unto  him,  and  enabled  him  to  fpcak  and  utter 
his  decrees,  and  to  perfecutc  even  to  death  as  many  as  refufe 
to  fubmit  to  him  and  to  worftnp  him.  As  foon  as  he  is  chofen 
Pope,  he  is  cloathed  with  the  pontifical  robes,  and  crowned 
and  placed  upon  the  altar,  and  the  cardinals  come  and  kifs  his 
feet,  which  ceremony  is  called  adoration.  They  firft  eleft, 
and  then  they  worftiip  him  ;  as  in  the  {b)  medals  of  Martin  V. 
where  two  are  reprefented  crowning  the  Pope,  and  two  kneel- 
ing before  him,  with  this  infcription  ^itm  crcant  cdorant. 
Jfhom  they  create  they  adore.  He  is  the  principle  of  unity  to 
the  ten  kingdoms  of  the  beaft,  and  caufcth  as  far  as  he  is  able, 
all  who  will  not  acknowledge  his  fupremacy,  to  be  put  to  death. 
In  fhort  he  is  the  moft  perfedl  likenefs  and  refemblance  of  the 

{a)  Vitring.  in  locum.  M.ann's  Critical  notes  on  fome  PafTages 
of  Scripture,  P.  121. 

{b)  Bonanni  Numifmrt.  Pontiftc.  Rommor.  Daubuz.  P.  582. 


THE     P  R  O  P  H  K  C  I  E  S. 


7rjj 


.ancient  Roman  emperors,  is  as  great  a  tyrant  in  the  Chriilian 
world  as  they  were  in  the  Heathen  world,  prefides  in  the  fame 
city,  ul'urps  the  fame  powers,  affedts  the  fame  titles,  and  requires 
the  lame  univcrfal  homage  and  adoration.  So  that  the  proi)hecy 
defcends  more  and  more  into  particulars,  from  ihc  Roman  Hate 
or  ten  kingdoms  in  general,  to  the  Roman  church  or  clergy  in 
particular,  and  Hill  more  particularly  to  the  perfon  of  the  Pope, 
the  head  of  the  ftate  as  well  as  of  the  churcJ!,  the  king  of  kings 
as  well  as  bifhop  of  bifhops. 

Other  offices  the  falfe  prophet  performs  to  the  bead  in  fub- 
jc6ling  all  forts  of  people  to  his  obedience,  by  impofing  certaiji 
terms  of  communion,  and  excommunicating  all  who  dare  in  the 
lead  article  to  dillent  from  them,  (ver.  i6,  Jj.)  He  cauftth  ally 
both  f?7iall  and  great^  rich  and  poor  ^  free  and  bond^  of  whatfocver 
rank  and  condition  u^.ey  be,  to  receive  a  mark  in  their  right  handy 
or  in  their  foreheads  :  And  he  v/iil  not  permit  any  man  to  buy 
or  felly  or  partake  of  the  common  intercourfes  of  life,  who  hatli 
noc  the  marky  or  the  nameofthehcajly  or  the  number  of  his  name. 
We  muft  undcrftand,  that  it  was  {^a)  cuftomary  among  the  an- 
cients, for  fervants  to  receive  the  mark  of  their  mafter,  and  fol- 
diers  of  their  general,  and  thofe  who  were  devoted  to  any  parii- 
cular  deity  of  the  particular  deity  to  whom  they  were  devoted. 
7\hefe  marks  were  ufually  imprelled  on  their  right  hand  or  on 
their  foreheads  ;  and  confiiled  of  fome  hieroglyphic  characters, 
or  of  the  name  exprelicd  in  vulgar  letters,  or  uf  the  name  dif- 
guifed  in  numerical  letters  according  to  the  fancy  of  die  impo-- 
fer.  It  is  in  alluiion  to  this  ancient  pra'flice  and  cuftom,  tliat 
the  fvmbol  and  profeffion  of  faith  in  the  church  of  Rome,  as 
fubferving  to  fuperflition.,  idolatry  and  tyranny,  is  called  the 
mark  or  character  of  the  beaji  :  which  character  is  faid  to  be 
received  in  their  forehead^  when  they  make  open  and  puldic  de- 
claration of  their  faith,  and  in  their  j-ight  handy  when  they  live 
and  act  in  conformity  to  it.  If  any  dillent  from  the  (fated  and 
authorized  forms,  they  are  condemned  and  excommunicated  a.s 
heretics :  and  in  confequence  of  that  they  are  no  longer  fuiTered 
to  buy  crfclly  they  are  interdidicd  from  traiFic  and  Cv3mmerce> 
and  all  the  benefits  of  civil  fociety.  So  Roger  Hoveden  [h)  re- 
Vol.  II.  P  p 


(«)  Vide  Grot,  in  locum.  Cleric,  in  Levit.xix.2S.  et  fupra 
omnes  Spencerum  de  Legibus  Hebra:orum  Rituaiibus,  Lib.  2.. 
Cap.  20.  Sedt.  i,  3,  4. 

[b)  Ut  neminem  in  fua  potellate  allquid  emere  aut  venucre  per- 
iferit,  quern  apoftoiicse  ledi  deprehenderit  inol-edieniem.     Lt 

flerio  de  fuccelT.  Ecclef.  Cap.  7.  Scdt.  7.  apud  \'i.ring.  V.  624. 


mi 

UfTe 

et  apudDaubuz.  P.  599. 


igS         DISSERTATIONS    oij 

lates  of  VVilliiuii  the  conqueror,  that  he  was  fo  dutiful  to  the  Pope, 
that  "  he  would  not  permit  any  one  in  his  power  to  bvy  or fell2,\\y 
"  thing,  whom  he  found  difobedient  to  the  apoftolic  fee."  So 
the  canon  of  the  council  of  Lateran  under  Pope  Alexander  the 
third,  made  againft  the  Waldenfes  and  Albigenfes,  [a)  injoins 
upon  the  pain  of  anathema,  that  "  no  man  prefume  to  -  ntertain 
«  or  cherifh  them  in  his  houfe  or  land,  or  exercife  traffc  with 
"  them."  The  fynod  of  Tours  in  France  under  the  fame  Pope 
{h)  orders  under  the  like  intermination,  that  "  no  man  fhould 
"  prefume  to  receive  or  aiTift  them,  no  not  fo  much  as  to  hold 
"  anv  communion  with  them  in  fdling  or  buying^  that  being 
«  deprived  of  the  comfort  of  humanity,  they  m.ay  be  compelled 
"  to  repent  of  the  error  of  their  way."  Pope  Martin  V.  in  his 
bull  fet  out  atter  the  council  of  Conftance  {c)  commands  in  like 
manner,  that  "  they  permit  not  the  heretics  to  have  houfes  in 
**  their  diftri(!^3,  or  enter  into  contrails,  or  carry  on  commerce, 
«  or  enjoy  the  comforts  of  humanity  with  Chriflians."  In  this 
refpe6r,  as  Mr.  Mede  [d]  obferves,the  falfe  ^ro^htt  fpake  as  the 
dragon.  For  the  dragon  Diocletian  publifhed  a  like  edid,  that 
no  one  fhouldfell  or  admiinifter  any  thing  to  the  Chrilfians,  un- 

(«)  Ne  quis  eos  in  domo  vel  in  terra  fua  tenere,  vel  fovere,  vel 
negotiationem  cum  iis  exercere  praefumat.  Ex  Tom.  4.  Council. 
Edit.  Rom.  A.  1612.  P.  37.apud  Medum.  P.  509.  apud  Vitring. 
P.  624,  et  apudDaubiiz.  P.  508. 

{b)  Ne  udi  cogniti  fuerint  iilius  h^srefeos  fe(^atores,  receptacu- 
lum  iis  quifquam  in  terra  faa  pra;bere,  aut  pr^fidium  impeniri  prae- 
fumat ;  *fed  nee  in  venditione  aut  emptione  aiiqua  cum  iis  commu- 
nio  habeatur,  ut  folatio  faltem  hunianitatis  arrtiiTo,  ab  errore  vias 
fuae  refipifcere  cogantur.  Ex  Ufferio  de  fucceff.  Ecclef.  Cap.  8. 
iSeil.  26.  apud  Medum  et  Vitring.  et  Daubtiz.  ibid. 

(f)  Ne  hcreticos  in  fuis  diilridibus  domicilia  tenere,  contradus 
inire,  negotiationes  exercere,  aut  hun"  aniiatis  folatia  cum  Chrifti- 
anis  habere  permittant.     Ex  Pareo  apud  Daubuz.  P.  598. 

(^)  Et  quid.?  nonne  hie  quoque  loquitur  pieudopropheta  ut  dra- 
co r   Draco  cnim  Diocletianus  fimilc  edidum  edidit,  ne  quis  quid- 
quam  Chrillianis  venderct  aut  fubminiflraret,  nifi  prius  thura  di^^ 
adoleviflent :   de  quo  in  hynino  JuiUni  Marty ris  ita  canit  Beda  : 
Non  illis  emendi  quidquam 
Aut  vendendi  copia  : 
Ncc  ipfam  haurire  aquam 
Dabatur  licentla, 
Antequam  thurificarcnt 
Deteiliandis  id  oils. 
Mede,  P.  509, 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


299 


lefs  they-firft:  burnt  incenfe  to  the  gods,  as  Bcdc  alio  rchearfah 
in  the  hymn  of  Juftin  Martyr  j  "They  had  not  the  power  of  buv- 
"  ingorfelHng  any  thing,  nor  were  they  allowed  the  liberty  of 
*'  drawing  water  itfelf,  before  they  had  offered  inccnfe  tod'jtell- 
"  able  idols."  Popifn  excomniunications  are  therefore  like  hea- 
then pcrfecutions :  and  how  large  a  Ihare  the  corrupted  clergy, 
and  efpecially  the  monks  of  former,  and  the  Jefuits  of  Ltcr  times, 
have  had  in  framing  and  enforcing  fiich  cruel  interdicts,  and  in 
reducing  all  orders  and  degrees  to  fo  fervile  a  ftaLe  of  fubjc6tion, 
no  man  of  the  leaft  reading  can  want  to  be  inform.ed 

Mention  having  been  made  of  jf/^^  number  of  the  bcaj}^  or  the 
number  of  his  yiame^  (for  they  are  both  the  fame )  the  prophet  pro- 
ceeds to  inform  us  what  that  nurr.her  is,  leaving  us  from  the 
number  to  coileft  the  name,  (vcr.  18.)  Here  is  luifiom^  Let  him 
that  hath  underjianding  count  the  number  of  the  beaj}.  it  is  not 
therefore  a  vain  and  ridiculous  attempt  to  fearch  into  this  mif- 
tery,  but  on  the  contrary  is  recommend>jd  to  us  upon  the  autho- 
rity of  an  apoftle.  For  it  the  number  of  a  man\  it  is  a  method  of 
numbering  pra«5lifed  among  men;  as  thg  fneafure  of  a  man  (xxi. 
17.)  is  fuch  a  meafure  as  inen  commonly  mak^-  ufe  of  in  meafur- 
ing.  It  was  a  method  practifjd  among  the  ancienrs,  ;o  denote 
names  by  numbers;  as  the  [a)  names  oiThouth  or  the  Egyptian 
Mercury  was  fignifiedby  the  number  1218  ;  the  name  of  Jupiter 
by  the  number  737;  and  the  number  of  the  Sun,  by  the  number 
608.   St.  Barnala^,  Lhe  champion  of  St.  Paul,  in  his  [b)  cpiitle 


[a)   Vide  Martiani  Cafeils  uc  Nupliis  1  lulolcgia:  et  Marcuiii. 

Lib.  2  et  7  in  init.  Daubuz.  1^.605.  ^Seidell's  Works,    Vol.  111. 

Part  2.  Col.  1402.     Of  the  number  656. 

Theta 9  Eta- 8  Eta 8 

Omega 800  /\lph.- 1  Ypfiior, —  400 

Ypfilon 400  Riio 120  Sigma 200 

Theta 900  Chi 600 


Eta 8  608 


I2lS 


737 
{h)  Vide  S.  Barnabs  Epift.  Cap.  g.  Edit.  Cotclerii  et  Clerici- 
The  name  of  Jefus  was  wrote  thus  abbreviated,   1  li  T,  I  li  the 
two  firll  letters  of  the  name,  andT  as  tlie  mark  of  his  crofs. 

1  ^ 10 

H-- 8 

T 300 

31S 


jco         D  I  S  5  P:  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S     on 

difcovers  in  like  manner  the  name  of  Jcfus  crucified  in  the  nutR- 
ber  318:  and  other  inftanccs  might  be  produced,  if  there  was 
occafion.  It  hath  been  the  ufual  method  in  all  God's  difpenfa- 
tions  for  the  holy  Spirit  to  accommodate  his  expreiTions  to  the 
cuifoms,  faihions,  and  manners  of  the  feveral  ages.  Since  then 
this  art  and  mylLery  of  numbers  was  fo  much  ufed  among  the  an- 
cients, it  is  lefs  wonderful  that  the  beail  alfofiiouldhave  his  num- 
ber, and  his  number  is  fix  hundred  and  fixfy-ftx.  Here  only  the 
num.ber  is  fpecilied  ;  and  from  the  number  we  muff,  as  well  as 
we  can^  colle6f  the  name.  Several  names  poffibly  might  be  ci- 
ted, which  contain  this  number  :  but  it  is  evident,  that  it  muft  be 
fome  Greek  or  Hebrew  narne ;  and  with  the  name  aifo  the 
other  qualities  and  properties  of  the  beaft  muff  all  agree.  The 
name  alone  will  not  conilitute  an  agreement ;  all  other  particu- 
lars muftbe  perfe£lly  applicable,  and  the  name  alio  muft  compre- 
hend the  precife  number  ol  666.  No  name  appears  more  proper 
andfuitable  than  that  famous  one  mentioned  by  Irenceus,  who  liv- 
ed not  long  after  St.  John's  time,  and  was  the  difciple  polycarp, 
the  difciple  of  John.  He  [a)  faith,  that  "  the  name  Latcinos 
"  contains  the  number  of  666;  and  it  is  very  likely,  becaufe  the 
''  laft  kingdom  is  fo  called,  for  they  are  Latins  who  now  reign  : 
"  but  in  this  v/e  will  not  glory:"  that  is,  as  it  becomes  a  modeft 
and  pious  man  in  a  point  of  fuch  difficulty,  he  vi'illnot  be  too  con- 
fident of  his  explication.  Lateinos  with  ei  is  the  true  orthogra- 
phy, as  the  Greeks  wrote  the  long  i  of  the  Latins,  and  as  the 
Latins  themfelves  (Z*)  wrote  in  former  times.  No  obje6lion 
therefore  can  be  drawn  from  the  fpellingof  the  name,  and  the 
thing  agrees  to  admiration.  For  after  the  divifion  of  the  empire, 
the  Greeks  and  other  orientalifts  called  the  people  of  the  weifern 
church  or  church  of  Rome  Latins:  and  as  Dr.  Henry  Moore  (r) 


{a)  Sed  ct  LATEINOS  nomenhabet  fexxentorum  fexaginta  fex 
numerum  :  et  valde  veriUmilc  eil:,  quoniam  novillimum  regnum  hoc 
habet  vocabulurn.  Latini  enim  funt  qui  nunc  regnant :  ied  non  in 
hoc  nos  gloiiabimur.     Iren,  Lib.  5.  Cap.  30.  P.  44.9.  Edit.  Grabe. 

{h)  So  Ennius  Lib.  vi.  26. 

Quorum  vertutei  bellei  fortuna  peperoit, 

Horundem  mc  leibertatei  parcere  certum  eft  : 
and  there  are  infinite  examples  bcfides. 

(c)  Moore's  Myilery  of  Iniquity.  Fart  2.  B.  i.Chap.  15.86^.8. 
ct  Petri  Molina;!  Vetcs.  P.  500,  c^c.  Milla,preces,  hymni,  litaniae, 
conones,  decreta,  bulice,  Latine  concepts  funt.  Concilia  papalia 
Latine  loquntur.  Ipfre  MuUercuL-c  pregantur  Laiine.    Nee  alio  fer- 


T  H  £     P  R  O  P  II  E  C  I  E  S.  3CI 

expreffeth  it,  they  latinize  in  every  thing.  Mafs,  prayers, 
hymns,  litanies,  canons,  decretals,  bulls  are  conceived  in  Latin. 
The  papal  councils  Ipeak  Latin.  Women  thcmfclvcs  pniy 
in  Latin.  Nor  is  the  icripture  read  in  any  other  language  un- 
der popery,  than  Latin.  Wherefore  the  council  of  Trent  com- 
manded the  vulgar  Latin  to  be  the  only  authentic  verfion. 
Nor  do  their  doftors  doubt  to  prefer  it  to  ihe  Hebrew  and 
Greek  text  itf;flf,  which  was  written  by  the  prophets  and  apof- 
tles.  In  fhort  all  things  are  Latin;  the  pope  having  commu- 
nicated his  language  to  the  people  under  his  dominion,  as  the 
mark  and  character  of  his  empire.  They  themfelvcs  indeed 
choofe  rather  to  be  called  Romans^  and  more  abfijrdly  flilj, 
Roman  Catholics  :  and  probably  the  apoflle,  as  he  hath  made 
ufe  of  fome  Hebrew  nam.es  in  this  book,  as  Maddon  (ix.  ii.) 
and  Amageddon^  (xvi.  i6.)  fo  might  in  this  place  11  kewife  al- 
lude to  the  name  in  the  Hebrew  language.  Now  Rorniiih  is 
the  (^)  Hebrew  name  for  the  R^oman  beaji  or  Roman  k'ujgdom  : 
and  this  word,  as  v/ell  as  the  former  word  Lateinos^  contains 
the  juft  and  exa£l  number  of  666.  It  is  really  furprifing  that 
their  fhould  be  fuch  a  fatal  coincidence  in  both  names  in  both 
languages.  Mr.  Pyle  [b)  afTerts,  and  I  believe  he  may  afTerc 
very  truly,  that  "  no  other  word,  in  any  language  whatever, 
"  can  be  found  to  exprefs  both  the  fame  number  and  the  fame 
«  th'ingr 


monefcripturalegiturfub  papifmoquam  Latino.  QuaproptcrCcnci- 
lium  Tridentinum  jufTit  folara  verfionem  vulgatamLatlnam  eue  au- 
thenticam.  Nee  dubitant  doilorcs  eampricferreipfi  textuiHebraico 
et  Graeco,  ab  ipfis  apoftolis  et  prophetis  exarato.  Denique  funt 
omnia  Latina;  nempe  Papa  populis  a  fc  fubaitis  dedit  fuam  lingu- 
am,  ut  fui  imperii  notam  et  charadlerem. 

Lambdu 30  Refch zoo 

Alpha     I  Vau    6 

Tau         300  Mem  40 


Epfilon    5  Jod 

Jota         10  Jod 


10 

10 

Nu  50  Thau  400 

Omicron 70  

Sin-ma      200  (i(i(> 


666 
{a)  Romi  mafc.  Romiith  fcm.  to  agree  with  be-H  or  kingdom. 
\F)  See  Pyle's  Paraphrafe,  104. 


302  DISSERTATIONS    on 


CHAP.     XIV. 

I      A    N  D    I   looked,  and  lo,  a  Lamb  flood  on  the 
Jr\^  mount  Sion,  and  with  him  an  hundred  forty  and' 
fotu   tiioufanuj  having  his  Father's  name  written  in  their 
foreheads. 

2  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of 
many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder;  and  I 
heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps  : 

3  And  they  fung  as  it  were  a  new  fong  before  the 
throne,  and  before  the  four  bealls,  and  the  elders ;  and 
no  man  could  i earn  that  fong,  but  the  hundred  and  forty 
and  four  thoufand,  which  were  redeemed  from  the 
earth. 

4  Thefe  are  they  which  were  not  defiled  with  women  j 
for  they  are  virgins;  thefe  are  they  which  follow  the 
Lamb  whitherfoever  he  goeth :  thefe  v/ere  redeemed 
from  among  men,  b^ifi-g  the  firft-frults  unto  God,  and  to 
the  Lamb. 

5  And  in  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile;  for  they 
are  without  fault  before  the  throne  of  God. 

After  this  melancholy  account  of  the  rife  and  reign  of  the 
beall,  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  delineates,  by  way  of  oppofition, 
the  itate  of  the  true  church  during  the  fame  period,  its  ftrug- 
gles  and  contefts  with  the  beaft,  and  the  judgments  of  God  up- 
on its  enemies.  Our  Saviour  is  (ecn  (ver.  i.)  as  the  true 
Lamb  of  God,  not  only  with  horns  like  a  'LT^mh^Jfafiding  on  the 
mount  Sion^  the  place  of  God's  true  worfhip  ;  and  luith  hhn  an 
hundred  forty  and  four  thoufayid^  the  fame  fele6l  number  that 
was  mentioned  before,  (vii.  4.)  the  genuine  oftspring  of  the 
twelve  apofllesapoilolicaily  multiplied,  and  therefore  the  num- 
ber of  the  church,  as  fix  hundred  and  fixty-iix  is  the  number 
of  the  beaft ;  and  as  the  follov/ers  of  the  bead:  have  the  naine 
of  the  beaft,  fo  thefe  have  the  na?neofGod^  and  as  iome  copies 
add  of  Chrijiy  tvritten  in  their  foreheads^  being  his  profefTcd  fer- 
vants,  and  the  fame  as  the  *ivitnejfes^  only  reprefented  under 
different  figures.  The  angels  and  heavenly  quire  (ver.  2,  5.) 
with  loud  voices  and  inftruments  of  mufic  fiiig  the  fame  neiv 
fong-,  or  Chriftian  fcng  that  they  fung  before :  (Cha]).  v.)  and 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


3^3 


no  man  could  learn  that  fong^  hut  the  hundred  and  forty  and 
four  thou  fa  nd',  they  alone  are  the  worfhippers  of  the  one  true 
God  through  the  one  true  mediator  Jclus  Chrift ;  all  the  reft 
of    mankind    offer  up  their  devoiions    to  other  objcdts,  and 


with  which  the  oth.^r  parts  di  the  world  are  mifcrably  debauch- 
ed and  corrupted.  Thefe  are  they  whUb  follow  the  Lamb  whi~ 
therfoever  he  goeth\  they  adh.  re  conii<intIy  to  the  religion  of 
Chnll  in  all  coiiditions  and  in  ail  places,  whether  in  adverfity 
or  profperity,  whether  in  conventicles  and  defcrts,  or  in  churches 
or  cities.  Thcfe  were  redeemed  fro?n  among  nien^  rcfcued  from 
the  corruptions  of  the  world,  and  are  confecrated  as  the  firfi 
fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamhy  an  earneft  and  aflurancc  of  a 
more  plentiful  harveli  In  fucceeding  times.  And  in  their  mouth 
was  found  no  guile ,  (ver.  5.)  they  handle  not  the  uoj-d  of  God 
deceitfully^  they  preach  ihe  iincere  dvJcStrine  of  Chril>,  they  are 
as  free  from  hypocrify  as  from  idolatry;  for  they  are  without 
fault  before  the  throne  of  God^  they  refeiuble  thifir  bleiled  re- 
deemer, who^  I  Pet.  ii.  22.  "  did  no  fm,  neither  was  guile  found 
"  in  his  mouth  ;"  and  are,  as  the  apoftle  requires  Chriftiansto 
be,  Philip,  ii.  15.  "  blamelefs  and  harmlefs,  the  fons  of  God, 
"  without  rebuice  in  the  midft  of  a  crooked  and  perverfe  na- 
"  tion."  But  poiTibly  it  may  be  a^ked,  Where  did  fuch  a 
church  ever  exill:,  efpecially  before  the  reformation:  and  it 
may  be  replied  that  it  hath  not  exifled  only  in  idea;  hiftory 
demonft rates,  as  it  hath  been  before  evinced,  that  there  have 
in  every  age  been  fome  true  worihippers  of  God,  and  faithful 
fervants  of  Jefus  Chrifl ;  and  as  Elijah  did  not  know  the  feven 
thoufand  men  who  had  never  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal,  fo  there 
may  have  been  more  true  Chriilians  than  were  always  vifible. 

6  And  I  faw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midft  of  heaven, 
having  the  everlafting  gofpel  to  preach  unto  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people, 

7  Saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Fear  God,  and  give  glory 
to  him,  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come:  and  wor* 
(hip  him  that  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  Tea,  and  the 
fountains  of  waters. 


304         DISSERTATIONS     on 

Such  is  the  nature  and  character  of  the  true  Chriftian  church 
in  oppofition  to  the  wicked  Antichriftian  kingdom;  and  three 
principal  efForcs  have  been  made  towards  a  reformation  at  three 
diff::rent  times,  reprefented  by  three  angels  appearing  one  after 
another.     Another  angel^  ( ver.  9. )  befides  thofe  who  were  em- 
ployed in  fmging,  (ver.  3.)  is  {ttw  fiymg  in  the  midft  of  heaven^ 
and  having  the  everlajiing  gofpel  to  preach    unto  every  nation 
and  people  ;  fo  that  during  this  period  the  gofpel  fnould  ftill  be 
preached,  which  is  ftiied  the  everlajiing gofpel^htrnglik^  itsdivine 
author,  Hebr.  xiii.  8.  "  the  fame  yefterday,  and  to  day,  and  for 
"  ever,"  in  oppofition  to  the  novel  dodrines  of  the  beall  and  the 
falfe  prophet,  which.  Matt.  xv.  13.  "lliall  be  rooted  up  as  plants 
"  not  of  the  heavenly  Father's  planting."     This  ano;el  is  far- 
ther reprefented  (ver.  7.)  faying  with  a  loud  voice^  Fear   God^ 
and  give  glory  to   him^  for   the   hour  of  his  judgment  is  co'me. 
Prophecy  mentions  things  as  come^  which  will  certainly  come : 
and  fo  our  Saviour  faid,  John  xii.  31.  "  Now  is  the  judgment 
*'  of  this  world ;"  it  is  denounced  with  certainty  now,  and  in 
due  time   will  be  fully  executed.     But   what  this   angel  more 
particularly  recommends,  is   the  worlliip  of  the  great  Creator 
cf  the  univerfe;   Wcrjhip  him  that  ynade  heaven  and  earthy  and 
the  fea^  and  the  fountains  of  waters.  It  is  a  folemnand  empha- 
tic exhortation  to  forfake  the  reigning  idolatry  and  fuperftition, 
and  fuch  exhortations  v/ere  made  even  in  the  firft  and  earliefl 
times  of  the  beall.     Befides  feveral  of  the  Greek  emperors  who 
ftrenuoully  oppofed  the   worihlp  of  images,  Charlemain  him- 
iAi  (a)  held  a  coincil  at  Francfort,  in  the    year  feven  hundred 
and  ninety-four,  confilling  of  about  three  hundred  French,  and 
German,  and   Italian,  and  Spaniih,  and  Britifh  bifhops,  who 
condemned  all  fort  of  adoration  or  worfhip  of  images,  and  re- 
jected the  fecond  council  of  Nice,  which  had  authorized  and 
eftablifhed  it.     At  the  fame  time  the  Carolin  hooks^  as  they  are 
called,    four    books    written  by  Charles  himfelf,    or    by    his 
authority,  proving  the  worfliip  of  im.ages  to  be  contrary  to  the 
fcripture    and  to  the  dodlrine   and  pradtice  of  antiquity,  v/ere 
approved  by  the  council,  and  tranfmitted  to  the  Pope.     Lewis 
the  pious,  the  fon  and  fucccffor  of  Charles  [h)  held  a  council 

(^)  Fred.  Spanhemii  Hifl:.  ChriiHan  Sax.  8.  Cap.  7  et  9.  Du- 
pin.  Bib.  Ecclefiaft.  Tom.  6.  pafTim.  Voltaire's  Annals  of  the 
Empire.  Ann.  794.. 

ib)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Sxc.  9.  Cap.  12.  Seft.  2.  et  Kill.  Imag.  Reft. 
Sedt.  9.  Dupir-.  ibid.  Tom.  7.  Cap.  i. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


3^5 


at  Paris  in  the  year  eight.hundred  and  twenty- four  which  ratified 
the  ads  of  the  council  of  Franckfort  and  the  Carol  in  books,  znd 
affiniicd  that  according  to  the  fcripture  and  the  fathers  adoration 
was  due  to  God  alone.  Several  private  pcrlons  alio  uiught  and 
aflerted  the  fame  fcripturai  doftrines.  Claud,  biihop  ot  Turin, 
(a)  declares  that  "  we  are  not  commanded  to  go  to  the  crca- 
*'  ture,  that  we  may  be  made  happy,  but  to  the  Creator  himfeli": 
"  and  therefore  we  Ihould  not  worihip  dead  men ;  they  are  to  be 
"  imitatedj  not  to  be  adored  :  let  us  together  with  the  angels 
"  worfliip  one  God."  Agobard,  archbilhop  of  Lyon?,  (/<) 
wrote  a  whole  book  againft  images,  and  fays,  that  "angels  or 
"  faints  may  be  loved,  and  honoured,  l;)ut  not  be  ferved  and 
"  worfhipped:  let  us  not  put  our  truft  in  man,  but  in  God, 
"  lefl  that  prophetic  denunciation  fhould  redound  on  us,  Curfcd 
"  is  the  man^  who  irujieth  in  man.''''  Many  other  (f)  biihops 
and  writers  of  Britain,  Spain,  Italy,  Germany,  and  France,  pro- 
feiTed  the  fame  fentiments  ;  and  this  public  oppofition  of  empe- 
rors and  bifhops  to  the  worfhip  of  faints  and  images  in  the  eighth 
and  ninth  centuries  appears  to  he  meant  particularly  by  the  hud 
'voice  /?/'this  firft  angel  flying  aloft^  and  calling  upon  the  world 
to  ivorjhip  God.  In  another  refpeit  too  thefe  emperors  and  bifliops 
refemble  this  angel  having  the  cverlafling  go/pel  to  preach  unto 
every  nation  \  for  in  tlieir  time,  and  greatly  by  their  means,  [d) 
the  ChriHian  religion  was  propagated  and  eflabliflied  among  the 
Saxons,  Danes,  Swedes,  and  many  other  northern  nations. 

'    8  And  there   followed  another  angel,  faying,  Babylon 
is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city,  becaufc- fhe  made  all  na- 
tions drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornicatiuns. 
Vol.  II.  Q.q 


(^)  Non  jubemurad  creturam  tendere,  ut  efiiciamur  beau,  fed 
ad  ipfum  creatorcm.  Et  ideo  non  fit  nobis  rcligio  cultus  hominam 
mortuorum  ;  honorandi  fuut  propter  imitationem,  noa  adorandi 
propter  religionem  :  Unum  ciim  angclis  colamus  Deuni.  Apud 
Spanhem.  ibid.  Ssc.  9.  Cap.  9.  Seft.  7.  Vide  etiain  Dupln.  ibid, 
et  Cave  Hift.  Litt.  ad  Ann.  820. 

{Jb)  Angeli,  vel  homines  fandi,  amentur,  lionorentur,  charitate, 
non  fervitute :  Non  ponamus  fpem  noftram  in  honjine,  fed  in  Deo, 
ne  forte  redundet  in  nos  illud  propheticum,  Meledi^lus  homo  qui 
confidit  in  homine.  Lib.  de  Imag.  Cap.  30.  apud  Spanhem.  ibid. 
Vide  etiam  Dupin.  ibid.  Cave.  ibid,  an  Ann.  813. 

(r)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Seft.  3.  UfTerius  dc  Ecclef  Chrilhan.  fiic- 
ceffione  et  ftatu.Cap.  2.  Alix's Remarks  upon  the  ancient  churches 
of  the  Albigenfes.  Chap.  8  et  9.       {d)  Spanhem.  ibid.  Cap.  2. 


^ 
^ 


30&         D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A 


O  N 


As  the  admonition  of  the  firft  angel  had  not  the  proper  ef- 
fect upon  the  kingdom  of  the  beaft,  the  fecond  angel   is  com- 
miiiioned   to  proclaim  the  fall  of  the  capital  city.      (ver.  8.) 
And   there  followed  another  angel^  faying^    Babylon  is  fallen, 
is  fallen^  that  great  city.     By  Babylon  was  meant  Rome^  as  all 
authors  of  all  ages   and  countries   agree :  but  it  was  not  pru- 
dent to  denounce  the  deftru6lIon  of  Rom.e  in  open   and  dire6l 
terms :  it  was  for  many  wife  reafons  done  covertly  under   the 
name  of  Babvlon,  which  v/as  the  great  idolatrous  of  the  earth, 
and  enemv  of  the  people  of  God  in  form.er,   as  Rome  hath  been 
in  later    times.     By  the   fame    figure  of  fpeech,  that  the  firfl: 
angel  cried  that  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come,  this  fecond  an- 
gel proclaims  that  Babylon  is  fallen  ;  the  fentence  is  as  certain, 
as  if  it  was  already  executed.      For  greater  certainty  too  it   is 
repeated  twice  Babylon  is  fallen^  is  fallen-,  as  Jof^ph  faid,  Gen. 
xli.  32.   "  that  the  dream  was  doubled  unto  Pharoah  twice,  be- 
*^  caufe  the  things  is  eftablifhed  by  God,  and  God  will  fliortly 
"  bring  it  to  pafs."     The  reafon  then  is  added  of  this  fentence 
againft  Babylon,  becaufe  Jhe  jnade  all  nations  drink  of  the  vjine 
of  her  zurat-h,  or  rather  of  the  infiaming  wine  of  her  fornication. 
Hers  was  a  kind  of  a  Circean  cup  with  poifoned  liquor  to  in- 
toxicate and  infiame  mankind  to  fpiritual  fornication.        St. 
John  in  thefe  figures  copies  the  ancient  prophets.     In  the  fame 
manner,  and  in  the  fame  words,  did  Ifaiah  foretel   the  fate  of 
ancient  Babylon,  (xxi.  9.)   Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen  :  And 
Jeremiah  hath  aifigned   much  the   fame  reafon   for  her  deftruc- 
tion,  li.  7.  "  Babylon  hath  been  a  golden  cup  in  the   Lord's 
"  hand,  that  made  all  the  earth  drunken  :    the  nations  have 
"  drunken  of  her  wine:  therefore  the  nations  are  mad."     As 
by  the  nrfi:  angel  calling  upon  men  to  worfliip  God,  we  under- 
ftand  the  oppofers  of  the  vv^orfhip  of  images  in    the  eighth  and 
ninth  centuries,  fo  by  this    fecond  angel   proclaiming  the  fall 
of  Myftic  Babylon  or  Rome,  we   undcrftand  particularly  (a) 
Peter  Valdo  and  thofe  who  concurred  with  him  the  Waldenfes 
and  Albigenfcs  ;  who  were  the  firfl  heralds,  as  I   may  fay,  of 
this  proclam.ation,  as  they  firfi:  of  all  in  the    twelfth   century 

{a)  Mede  P.  517,  722,  kc.  Fred.  Spanhem.  I-iiil.  CJiriilian, 
Sasc.  12.  Cap.  6. — recelVnTc  a  do«Elrina  et  praxi  recepta Romance  ec- 
clefia;,  nuncupafle  earr.  Babylonem,  ac  confufionis  omnis  iTiaLJi-cm,&:c. 
Seft.  4.  Thuani  Hill.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  16.  Eorum  hii:c  dogmata  fere- 
bantur  ;  Ecclefiam  Romanarn,  (juoniam  ver.-e  Chrifti  intidei  renun- 
ciaverit,  Babylonicammeretriccm  clfc,  c^c  l\  221.  Edit.  iJuckky. 


THE     PROPHECIES 


207 


pronounced  die  church  of  Rome  to  be  the  apocalyptic  BahyJon^ 
the  mcther  of  harlots  and  abominations  of  the  earth  \  and  for 
this  caufe  not  only  departed  from  her  communion  themfclves, 
but  engaged  great  numbers  alfo  to  follow  their  exaniple,  and 
laid  the  iirll  foundation  of  the  Reforniation.  Rome  then  be- 
gan to  fall ;  and  as  the  ruin  of  Babylon  was  completed  by  de- 
grees, io  lik:ewir>i  will  that  of  Rome  ;  and  thcfe  holy  confellors 
and  martyrs  firfi:  paved  the  way  to  it. 

9  And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  faying  with  a  loud 
voice,  If  any  man  worfliip  the  beaft  and  his  image,  and 
receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand, 

10  The  fame  (hall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup 
of  his  indignation;  and  he  (hall  be  tormented  with  hre 
and  brimftone,  in  the  prefence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in 
the  preience  of  the  Lamb : 

11  And  the  fmoke  of  their  torment  afccndeth  up  for 
ever  and  ever,  and  they  have  no  reft  day  nor  night,  who 
worfhip  the  bcaft  and  his  image,  and  whofbev-er  receiveth 
the  mark  of  his  name. 

12  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  faints  :  here  are  they 
that  keep  the  commandments  of  God  and  the  faith  of 
Jefus. 

13  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  faying  unto  me. 
Write,  Blelled  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord,  from 
henceforth.  Yea,  faith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  reiUVom 
their  labours,  and  their  works  do  foHow  them. 

But  not  only  the  capital  city,  not  only  the  principal  agents 
and  promoters'  of  idolatry  fhall  be  deftroyed  ;  the  commif- 
fion  of  the  third  angel  reached  farther,  and  extends  to  all  the 
fubjecSts  of  the  bealt,  whom  he  coniigns  over  to  everlafting 
puniihment.  (ver.  9,  10,  ll.)  And  the  third  cngel  foUozved 
them^  faying  with  a  loud  voice,  If  ayiy  man  worfip  the ^  tcajl 
and  -his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead  or  in  hn 
hand,  if  anv  man  embrace  and  profcfs  the  religion  of  the  beaft, 
or  what  is  the  fame,  the  religion  of  the  Pope;  the  fame  jhall 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  or  rather  of  thefoipnous 
.zvine  of  God.  His  puniftiment  Ihall  correfpond  with  his  crime. 
As  he'  drank  of  the  poifonous  wine  of  Bab)  Ion,  io  he  Ihall  be 
made  to  drink  o^  the  poifonous  luinc  of  God,  ivhich   is  poured 


3o8  DISSERTATIONS     on 

out  without  mixture^  or  rather  which  is  mixt  unmixt^  the  poi- 
fonous  ingredients  being  ftronger  when  mixt  with  mere  or  un- 
niixt  wine,  in  the  cup  of  his  indignation  ;  and  he  JJmll  be  tor- 
mented day  and  night  forever  and  ever.  By  this  third  angel 
following  the  others  with  a  loud  voice  we  under  (land  principal- 
ly Martin  Luthar  and  his  fellow-reformers,  who  with  a  loud 
voice  proteftcd  againft  all  the  corruptions  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  and  declared  them  to  be*deftruiSl:ive  of  falvation  to  all 
who  ftiil  obftinately  continue  in  the  practice  and  profeHion  of 
them.  This  would  be  a  time  of  great  trial,  (vcr.  12)  Here  is 
the  patience  of  the  faints;  here  are  they  zvho  keep  the  command- 
7mnts  cf  Gody  and  the  faith  of  Jefus.  And  it  is  very  well 
knovv^n,  that  this  was  a  time  of  great  trial  and  perfecution ; 
the  reformation  was  not  Introduced  and  eftablifhed  without 
much  bloodihcd ;  there  were  many  martyrs  in  every  country. 
But  they  arc  comforted  with  afolemn  declaration  from  heaven. 
(  ver.  13.)  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  faying  unto  me^ 
JVrite.^  Bleffed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lordffrom  henceforth^ 
if  they  die  in  the  faith  and  obedience  of  Chrili,  and  more  ef- 
pecially  if  they  die  martyrs  for  his  fake :  Tea  faith  the  Spirit^ 
that  they  may  refi  from  their  labors^  for  immediately  upon  th^eir 
deaths  they  enter  into  reft ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them^ 
thev  enjoy  now  fome  recompenfe,  and  in  due  time,  at  the  day 
of  judgment,  they  fhall  receive  the  full  reward  of  their  good 
v/orks.  It  is  moft  probable  that  St.  John  alluded  to  a  paflage 
In  Ifaian,  v^^here  the  Spirit  hath  made  the  like  declaration  ; 
Ivii.  I,  2.  "  The  righteous  perifheth,  and  no  man  layeth  it  to 
"  heart ;  and  merciful  men  are  taken  away,  none  confidering 
"  that  the  righteous  is  taken  away  from  the  evil  to  come:  He 
"  fhall  enter  into  peace,  they  fhall  reft  in  their  beds,  each 
"  one  walking  in  his  uprlghtnefs."  But  the  greateft  difHcuIty 
of  all  is  to  account  for  the  words  from  henceforth  \  for  why 
fhould  the  hlc[fcdnefs  of  the  dead  vjho  die  in  the  Lord  be  reftraln- 
ed  to  this  time,  and  commence  from  this  period  rather  than 
from  any  other,  when  they  are  at  all  times  and  in  all  periods 
equally  blefTed,  and  not  more  fmce  this  time  than  before  ?  Com- 
mentators are  here  very  much  at  a  lofs,  and  ofter  little  or 
nothing  that  is  fatisfacS^ory :  but  the  difficulty  in  great  a  meafure 
ceafes,  if  vv^e  apply  this  prophecy,  as  I  think  it  fhould  be  ap- 
plied, to  the  Reformation.  For  from  that  time,  though  the 
hlefednefs  of  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord  hath  not  been  in- 
larged,  yet  it  hath  been  much  better  underftood,  more  clearly 


THE     PROPHECIES.  309 

written  and  promulgated  than  it  was  before,  and  the  contrary 
do6lrine  of  purgatory  hath  been  exploded  and  banifhed  from 
the  belief  of  all  reafonable  men.  This  truth  was  moreover  one 
of  the  leading  principles  of  the  Reformation.  What  firlt  pro- 
voiced  Luther's  fpirit  was  the  fcandalous  fale  of  indulgences; 
and  the  doctrine  of  indulgences  having  a  clofe  connexion  with 
the  do6lrine  of  purgatory,  ihe  refutation  of  the  one  naturally 
led  him  to  the  refutation  of  the  other  ;  and  his  [a)  firll:  work 
of  reformation  was  his  ninety-fifth  thefes  or  politions  againd 
indulgences,  purgatory,  and  the  dependent  doctrines.  So  that 
he  may  be  faid  literally  to  have  fulfilled  the  command  from 
heaven,  of  writings  Blejfed  arc  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lorfy 
frojn  henceforth  :  and  from  that  time  to  this,  this  truth  hath 
been  fo  clearly  afTerted,  and  fo  folidly  eftabliflied,  that  it  is 
likely  to  prevail  for  ever. 

A  learned  and  ingenious  friend  refers  thcfe  three  proclama- 
tions of  the  three  angels  to  later  times,  and  fuppofes  that  they 
are  an  immediate  prelude  to  the  fall  of  Antichriit,  and  the  mil- 
lennium. But  the  clue  that  has  principally  conducted  me 
through  both  parts  of  the  Revelation  is  following  the  feries  of 
hiftory  and  the  fucceiTive  order  of  events.  After  the  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  two  beads,  fecular  and  ecclefiaftical,  whofe  pov/er 
was  eftablifhed  according  to  my  hypothefis  in  the  eighth  cen- 
tury, but  according  to  moft  commentators  much  fooner,  there 
would  be  a  very  large  chafm  without  the  predidlion  of  any 
memorable  events,  if  thefe  prophecies  relate  to  the  time  im- 
mediately preceding  the  fall  of  Antichrift  and  the  millennium. 
What  along  interval  would  that  be  without  any  prophecy  ? 
and  how  thick  would  the  events  follow  afterwards  ?  for  all  the 
particulars  not  only  of  this  14th,  but  likcwife  of  the  i6th, 
1 8th,  and  19th  chapters,  muft  be  fulfilled  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  millennium.  lean  hardly  frame,  even  in 
i-magination,  any  events  which  can  anfwer  more  exactly  to 
thefe  proclamations  of  the  three  angels  than  the  three  princi- 
pal efforts  towards  a  reformation.  Charlemain,  Valdo,  Luther, 
and  their  followers,  certainly  deferve  as  exalted  characters  as 
are  here  given  them  ;  and  it  would  be  very  ftrange  that  there 
fhould   be   fo  many   prophecies   relating   to  the  downfall  ot 


(a)  Sleiden's  Hid.  of  the  Reform.  B.  i.  Ann.  15 17.  F^dicr 
Paul's  Hilt,  of  the  council  of  Trent.  B.  i.  Se^.  18.  Spanliem.  Uilt. 
ChriHian.  Sa:c.  i6»  Cap.  6,  Se(^.  i. 


3i»  DISSERTATONS    on 

popery,  and  yet  none  concerning  the  Reformation.  He  con- 
ceives that  the  church  cannot  be  reprefented  in  fuch  an  attitude 
of  triumph  and  jubilation,  as  it  is  in  the  former  part  of  this 
chapter,  while  it  is  aiHi6ied  and  perfecuted  during  the  reign  of 
thebeaft.  But  the  church  of  this  period  is  not  drawn  in  fuch 
an  attitude  of  triumph  and  jubilation  as  he  imagines  j  there  are 
fome  intimations  of  its  fuffering  perfecution  in  this  very  chap- 
ter: and  if  it  was  as  he  imagines,  yet  why  may  not  the  true 
church  be  reprefented  like  the  Apoftles  and  primitive  Chrifli- 
ans  z%  forrowfidyet  akvays  rejoicings  as  rejoicing  in  trihulaiioHy 
as  eicceeding  joyful  in  tribulation^  &c.  ?  He  farther  conceives  that 
tke  dead  are  blejjed from  henceforth^  becaufe  they  will  remain  a 
fhorter  time  in  the  feparate  ftate,-  and  be  fooner  raifed  again. 
But  why  then  is  not  that  reafon  afligned  but  quite  different 
ones,  they  may  reji  from  their  labour ^  and  their  works  do  follow 
them  f  Thefe  are  reafons  which  hold  equally  good  at  all  times, 
and  cannot  be  retrained  and  limited  to  any  particular  time:  and 
therefore  I  conceive  that  the  "word^  from  henceforth  relate  not  fo 
much  to  the  bkjednefs  of  the  dead ^  which  is  always  the  fame,  as 
to  the  writing  and  promulgating  of  this  dod:rine  by  Luther  and 
the  protellant  reformers. 


14  And  I  looked,  and  behold,  a^  white  cloud,  and  upon  the 
cloud  one  fat,  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man,  having  on  his  head 
a  golden  crown,  and  in  his  hand  a  fharp  fickle. 

15  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple,  crying  with 
a  loud  voice  to  him  that  fat  on  the  cloud.  Thru  ft  in  the 
fickle  and  reap  ;  for  the  time  is  come  for  thee  to  reapj  for 
theharveii:  of  the  eartK  is  ripe. 

16  And  he  that  fat  on  the  cloud,  thrull:  in  his  fickle  on 
the  earth  ;  and  the  earth  was  reaped. 

17  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple  which  is  in 
heaven,* he  alfo  having  a  (harp  fickl^ 

18  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  which  had 
power  over  fire  ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  cry  to  him  that  had 
the  (harp  fickle,  faying,  Thruft  in  thy  fharp  fickle,  and  gather 
the  clufters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth  ;  for  her  grapes  are  fully 
ripe. 

19  And  the  angel  thruft  in  hir,  fickle  into  the  earth,  and 
gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  caft  //  into  the  great  wine- 
prefs  of  the  wrath  of  God. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  311 

20  And  the  wine-prefs  was  trodden  without  the  city,  and 
blood  came  out  of  the  wine-prefs,  even  unto  the  hoi  fc-bridies, 
by  the  fpace  of  a  thouf.md  atid  hx  hundred  furlongs. 

But  till  the  voices  of  thefc  three  warning  angels  not  having 
their  due  influence  and  efFc6l,  the  judgments  of  God  will  over- 
take the  followers  and  adh.^rents  of  the  beaft,  which  jtidgmcnts 
are  repref^nted  under  the  figures  oi  harvcji  and  vintage^  (ver. 
14 — 20.)  figures  not  unufual  in  the  prophets,  and  copied  par- 
ticularly fro:n  the   prophet  Joel,  who  denounced  God's  judg- 
ments againft  the  enemies  of  his  people  in  the  like  terms;  iii. 
13.    "  Put  ye  in  the  fickle,  for  the  harveft  is  ripe;  come,  get 
"  you  down,  for  the  prefs  is  full,  the  fats  overflow,  for  their 
"  wickednefs  is  great."     What  particular  events  are  fignified 
by  this  harvcji  and  vintage^  it  appears  impoflible  for  any  man 
to  determine,  time  alone  can  with  certainty  difcover,  for  thcfc 
things  are  yet  in  futurity.      Only  it  may  be  obfervcd,  that  thcfc 
two  hgnal  judgments  will  as  certainly  come,  as   harveft  and 
vintage  fucceed  in  their  feafon  ;  and  in  the  courfs  of  providence 
the  one  will  precede  the  other,  as   in  the  courfe  of  nature  the 
harveft  is  before  the  vintage  ;  and  the  latter  will  greatly  furpafs 
the  former,  and  be  attended  with  a  more  terrible  deftru<Slion  of 
God's  enemies.      It  is  faid  (ver.  20.)  that  the  blood  came  even 
unto  the  horfe-bridles^  which  is  a   ftron^  hyperbolical   way  of 
fpeaking  toexprefs  vaft  flaughter  and  effufion  of  blood  ;  a  way 
of  fpeaking  not  unknown  to  the  Jews,  for  {n)  the  Jerufalem 
Talmud  defcribing  the  woeful  flaughter,  which  the  Roman  em- 
peror Adrian  made  of  the  Jews  at  the  deftruclion  of  the  city  of 
Bitter,  faith  that  the  horfes  waded  in  blood  up  to  their  noftr'ih. 
Nor  are  fimilar  examples  wanting  even  in  the  clalTic  authors : 
for   [b)    Silius  Italicus,    fpeaking    of  Annibal's   defcent    into 
Italy,  ufeth  a  like  expreflion  of  ^^^  bridles  fiowin^  ivith  much 
blood.     The  ftage  v/here  this  bloody  tragedy  is  acted,  is  vjith- 
out  the  city  by  the  [pace  of  a  thousand  and  fix  hundred  furlongs^ 


(«)  InTaanith  Fol.  69.  Col.  i.  Lightfoot's  Harmony  of  the  N. 
T.  in  locum.  "  Vide  eiiam  Echa  R.  II.  2.  Tribus  annis  cum  dimi- 
dio  obfedit  Adrianus  Bitterem, — nee  ceflaraunt  in  ca  interl.cicntcs, 
donee  mergeretur  equas  in  fanguine  uique  ad  os,  <S:c.  apad  Wcl- 
tein  in  locum. 

{b)  Sil.  Ital.III.  705. 
— multoque  fluentia  fanguine  lora. 


312         DISSERTATIONS    on 

which,  as  Mr.  Mede  (a)  ingenioufly  obferves,  is  themeafure  of 
flato  della  chiefa,  or  the  ftate  of  the  Roman  church,  or  St.  Pe- 
ter's patrimony,  which  reaching  from  the  walls  of  Rome  unto 
the  river  Po  and  the  marches  of  Verona,  contains  the  fpace  of 
two  hundred  Italian  miles,  which  make  exactly  one  thoufand  fix 
hundred  furlongs. 

•       XV. 

I      A    N  D  I  faw  another  fign  in  heaven,  great  and  marv^el- 
j[j^  lous,  feven  angels  having  the  feven  laft  plagues,  for 
in  tnemis  filled  up  the  wrath  of  God. 

2  And  I  faw  as  it  were  a  fea  of  glafs,  mingled  with  fire ; 
and  them  that  had  gotten  the  victory  over  the  beaft,  and  over 
his  image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his 
name,  ftand  on  the  fea  of  glafs,  having  the  harps  of  God. 

3  And  they  fung  the  fongs  of  Mofes  the  fervant  of  God, 
and  the  fong  of  the  Lamb,  faying,  Great  and  marvellous  are 
thy  v/orks.  Lord  God  Almighty  ;  jull  and  true  are  thy  ways, 
thou  king  of  faints. 

4  Who  fliall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ? 
for  then  only  art  holy :  for  all  nations  (hall  come  and  wor- 
Ihip  before  thee  ;  ft^r  tliy  judgments  are  made  manifeft. 

5  And  after  that  I  looked,  and  behold,  the  temple  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  teftimony  in  heaven  was  opened  : 

6  And  the  feven  angels  came  out  of  the  temple,  having  the 
feven  plagues,  cloathed  in  pure  and  white  linen,  and  having 
their  breafts  girded  with  golden  girdles. 

7  And  one  of  the  four  beafls  gave  unto  the  feven  angels, 
feven  golden  vials  full  of  the  wrath  of  God,  who  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever. 

8  And  the  temple  was  filled  with  fmoke  from  the  glory  of 
God,  and  from  his  power,  and  no  man  was  able  to  enter  into 
the  temple,  till  the  (even  plagues  of  the  feven  angels  were 
fulfilled. 


(fl)  — In  vicir.o  item  locus  efl  cui  di6lus  fladiorum  numerus  pe- 
rinde  convenit :  put?,  rtato  della  chiefa,  feu  eccIefiJE  Romans  lati- 
fundium,  quod  ab  urbe  Ps.oma  ufque  a*d  ultimum  Padi  oftium  et  Pa- 
ludcs  Verononfes  porrigitur  fpatio  milliarium  Italicorum  ducen- 
torum,  id  ell,  Itadiorum  i6oo.     Medej  P.  522. 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


vz 


God's  judgments  upon  the  kingdom  of  the  bead,  or  Anti- 
chri/tiaa  empire,  are  hitherto  denounced,  and  dcfcribed  in  o-e- 
neral  terms  under  the  figures  ot  harveji  and  vintage.     A  more 
particular  account  of  them  follows  under  the  emblem  offrven 
•uia/s  which  are  called    (ver.  i.)   the /even  lajf  plagufs,  for  in 
them    is  filled  up  the  wrath  of  God.     'J'hefe  fcveii  lalt  plagues 
mull  necelfarily  fall  under  the  feventh  and  hift  trumpci,  or  the 
third  and  lafl  woe-trumpt^t ;  fo  that  as  the  fevcnth  fcnl  contained 
the  feven  trumpets,  the  feventh  trumpet  comprehends  the  fcven 
vials.     Not  only  the  concinnity  of  the  prophecy  requires  this 
order ;  for  otherwife  there  would  be  great  confufion,  and  ihe 
vials  would  interfere  with  the  trumpets,  fome  falling  under  one 
trumpet,  and  fome  under  another :  but  moreover,  if  thefe  fevcn 
laft  plagues  and  the  confequent  deftru(5lion  of  Babylon  be  not 
thefubjv;(5l  of  the  third  woe,  the  third  woe  is  no  where  defcribed 
particularly  as  are  the  two  former  woes.     When  four  of  the 
feven  trumpets  had  founded,  it  was  declared  (viii.  13;)  "  Woe, 
"  woe,  woe  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  by  reaibn  of  the 
"  other  voices  of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels  which  are 
*'  yet  to  found."  Accordingly  at  the  founding  of  the  fifth  trum- 
pet (ix.  I.)  commences  the  woe  of  the  Saracen  or  Aiabian  lo- 
cufts;  and  in  the  conclufion  is  added,  \er.  12.  "  One  woe  is paft, 
"  and  behold,  there  come  two  woes  more  hereafter."     At  the 
founding  ofthejixth  trumpet  (ix.  13.)  begins  the  plague  of  the 
Euphratean  horfemen  or  Turks;  and  in  the  conclufioii  is  added, 
(xi.  14.)  "The  fecond  woe  is  paft,  and  beHold,  the  third  woe 
**  Cometh  quickly."     At  the  founding  of  the  feventh  trumpet 
therefore  (xi.  15,  Sec.)  one  would  naturally  expe6f  the  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  third  woe  to  fucceed ;  but  as  it  was  before  obferv- 
ed,   there  follows  only  a  (hort  and   fummary  account  of  the 
feventh  trumpet,  and  of  the  joyful  rather   han  of  the  woeful 
part  of  it.     A   general  intimation   indeed  is  given  of  God's 
taking  unto  him  his  great  poiver,  and  dejlroying  them  who  dejlroy 
the  earth  :  but  the  particulars  are  ref.rved  for  this  place  ;  and 
if  thefe  laft  plagues  coincide  not  with  the  laft  woe,  there  are 
other  plagues  and  other  woes  after  the  laft  ;  and  how  can  it  be 
faid  that  the  wrath  of  God  is  filled  up  in  them^  if  there  are  others 
befides  them  ?     If  then  thefe  i^wew  laft   plagues  fynchroi  ize 
with  the  feventh  and  laft  trumpet,  they  are  all  yet  x.o  come  ; 
for  the  fixth  trumpet  is  not  yet  paft,  nor  the  woe  of  the  Turk- 
ifti  or  Othman  empire  yet  ended  :  and  confequently  thert;  is  no 
pofiibility  of  explaining  them  in  fuch  a  manner  as  when  the 
Vol,  IL  R  r 


314 


DISSERTATIONS    on 


prophecies  may  be  paralleled  with  hiftories,  or  evinced  by  ocular 
demon  ft  rati  on.  The  many  fruitlefs  attempts  which  have  hi- 
therto been  made  to  explain  them,  are  a  farther  proof  that  they 
cannot  well  be  explained,  the  beft  interpreters  having  failed  and 
foundered  in  this  part  more  than  any  other.  But  before  the 
vials  are  poured  out,  the  fcene  opens  with  a  preparatory  vifion, 
which  is  the  fubje6l  of  this  chapter. 

As  feven  angels  founded  the  kven  trumpets,  fo  feven  angels 
are  appointed  to  pour  out  the  feven  vials,  angels  being  always 
the  minifters  of  providence ;  and  in  order  to  fliow  that  thefe 
judgments  are  to  fall  upon  the  kingdom  of  the  beafl,  the  true 
woriliippers  of  God  and  faithful  fervants  of  Jefus,  who  had 
efcaped  vigors  from  the  heaj}^  and  had  never  fubmitted  to  his 
tyranny  or  religion,  are  defcribed  (ver.  2,  3,  4.)  like  unto  the 
children  of   Ifiael   after  their  deliverance    and  efcape    out  of 
Egvpt.     For  the  children  of  Ifrael,  (Exod.  xv.)  having  paffed 
through  the  Red  Sea,  ftood  on  the  fliore,  and  feeing  their  ene- 
mies overv/helmed  with  the  waters,  fung  the  triumphant  fong 
of  Mofes  :  fo  thefe  having  pailed  through  the  fiery  trials  of  this 
•world,y?<? W  on  the  Jea  of  glafs  mingled  with  fre^  which  was 
mentioned  befoie,  (xiv.  6.)  and  feemg  the   vials  ready  to  be 
poured  out  upon  their  enemies,  fmg  a  fong  of  triumph  for  the 
manifeftation  of  the  divine  judgments  ;  which  is  called  the  fong 
of  Alofes  and  the  fong  of  the  Lamh^  the  words  in  great  meafure 
being  taken  from  the  fong  of  Mt)fes   and  other  parts  of  the 
Old  Teftament,  and  applied  in  a  chriftian  i(tn{t.     After  this 
the  7nofl  holy  place  of  the  temple  is  opened,  ( ver.  5. )  and  the  feven 
angels  come  out  of  the  temple^  (ver.  6.)   to  denote  that  their 
commifTion  is  immediately  from  God,  cloathed  like  the  high 
prieft  but  in  a  more  auguil  manner,  in  pure  and  white  linen^  to 
fignify  the  righteoufnefs  of  thofe  judgments,  and  having  their 
breafis  girded,  to  fhow  their   readinefs  to  execute  the  divine 
commands,  with  golden  girdles,  as  emblems  of  their  power  and 
majefty.     A  vial  then  is  given  unto  each  of  the  feven  angels, 
(ver.  7.)  by  one  of  the  four  living  creatures,  the  reprefentatives 
cf  the  church  ;  by  which  it   is  intimated,  that  it  is  in  vindica- 
tion of  the  church  and  true  religion  that  the  plagues  are  inflict- 
ed.    Moreover  the  temple  is  filled  with  f moke  from  the  glory  of 
God  and  from  his  power,  fo  that  no  man  is  able  to  enter  into 
it  {ver,  8.);  in  the  fame  manner   as  the    tabernacle,  when  it 
"Was  tonfecrated  by  Mofes,  and   the  temple  when  it  was  dedi- 
cated by  Solomon,  (Exod.  xl.  34,  35.   i  Kings  viii.  10,  11.) 


THE     PROPHECIES.  315 

were  both  filled  with  a  cloud  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  fo  that 
neither  Mofes  nor  the  pricfts  could  enter  therein:  a  farther 
proof  of  the  majeftic  prefence  and  extraordinary  iuierpolition  of 
God  in  the  execution  of  thefe  j  ud^mcnts. 

CHAP.    XVI. 


I      A    N  D   I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple,  faving 
XX,  to  the  feven  angels,  Go  your  ways  and  pour  out  the 
vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  earth. 

Ill  obedience  to  the  divine  command  (verfe  i.)  the  feven  an- 
gels come  forth  to  pour  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon 
the  earth  :  and  as  the  tru??ipets  were  fo  many  fteps  and  degrees 
of  the  ruin  of  the  Roman  empire,  fo  the  via/s^rQ  of  the  ruin  of 
the  Roman  church.  The  one  in  polity  and  goveniment  is  the 
image  of  the  other ;  the  one  is  compared  to  the  fyftem  of  the 
world,  and  hath  her  earth,  zndfea,  and  rivers,  ^ndfun,  as  well 
as  the  other  ;  and  this  is  the  reafon  of  the  fimilitude  and  refem- 
blance  of  the  judgments  in  both  cafes.  Some  refcmblance  too 
there  is  between  thefe  plagues  and  thofe  of  Egvpt.  Rome  pa- 
pal hath  already  (xi.  8.)  been  diftinguifhed  by  the  title  oi'fiiri- 
tual  Egypt,  and  refembles  Egypt  in  her  punifhments  as  well  as 
in  her  crimes,  tyranny,  idolatry,  and  wickednefs. 

2  And  the  firft  went,  and  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the 
earth;  and  there  fell  a  noifome  and  g'ievous  fore  upon  the 
men  which  had  the  mark  of  the  beafi,  and  upon  them  which 
worfhipped  his  image. 

Vial  the  firft  (ver.  2.)  is  poured  upon  the  earth  ;  and  (o  the 
hail  and  fire  of  the  firft  trumpet,  (viii.  7.)  "  were  caft  upon  the 
"  earth."  It  produceth  a  noifoTne  and  grievous  fere  ;  and  in  this 
refpeit  refembleth  the  fixth  plague  of  Egvpt,  (Exod.  ix.  10.) 
which  was  "boils  breaking  forth  with  Wains."  This  plague 
is  inflided  upon  the  men  who  had  the  mark  of  the  bcaj},  and  upon 
them  who  worfnipped  his  image-,  which  is  to  be  underftood  of 
the  others  alfo,  where  it  is  not  exprefled.  Whether  thcfey^^r^i- 
and  idem  are  natural  or  moral,  the  event  muft  ihow. 


-^316        DISSERTATIONS    on 

3  And  the  fecond  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  Tea ; 
and  ii  became  as  the  blood  of  a  dead  man  :  and  every  living 

■  Ibul  died  in  the  lea. 

4  And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  rivers 
and  fountains  of  waters;  and  they  became  blood. 

5  And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the  waters  fay,  Thou  art  righ- 
teous, O  Lord,  which  art,  and  waft,  and  fhall  be,  becaufe  thou 
haft  iudo-ed  thus : 

6  For  they  have  ftied  the  blood  of  faints  and  prophets, 
and  thou  haft  given  them  blood  to  drink;  for  they  are 
worthy. 

7  And  I  heard  another  out  of  the  altar  fay,  Even  fo 
Lord  God  almiL^hiy,  true  and  righteous  are  they  judg- 
ments. 

Vinl  the  fecond  (ver.  3.)  h  poured  out  upon  the  fea^  and  the 
fe a  becomes  as  the  blood ^of  a  dead man^  or  a.s  congealed  blood: 
and   in  like  manner   under  tiie   fecond  trumpet   (viii.  8.)  the 
burning  mountain  was  caji  into  thefea^  and  the  fea  became  blood. 
Vial  the  third  (ver.  4.)   is  poured  out  upon  the  rivers.^  andfoun-^ 
tains  of  waters  J  and  they  became  blood;  and  in  like  manner  un- 
der the  third  trumpet  (viii.  10.)   the  burning  ^A-x  fell  upon  the 
rivers  and  fountains  ofzvaters.     There  is  a  dole  connexion 
between  thefe  two  vials ;  and  the  effe6ts  are  fimilar  to  the  firft 
plague  of  Egypt  (Exod.  vii:   19.)  when  the  waters  of  Egypty 
and  their  Jheams^  and  their  river s^  and  their  ponds^  and  their 
pools  of  water  became  blood.     Seas  and  rivers  of  blood  rmni^Qii- 
ly  denote  great  flaughter  and  devaftation  :  and  hereupon  (ver. 
5,  6,)  the  angel  of  the  waters^  for  it  was  a  prevailing  opinion 
in  theeaft,  that  a  [a)  particular  angel  prefided  over  the  waters, 
as  others  did  over  oiher  elements  and  parts  of  nature,  and  men- 
tion  was  made   before   (xiv.  18.)  oi  the  angel  who  had  power 
over  fire ;  this   angel  of  the   waters  celebrates   the  righteous 
judgments  of  God  in  adapting  and  proportioning  the  punifti- 
ment  of  the  followers  of  the  beaft  to  their  crime ;  for  no  law  is 
more  juft  and  equitable,  than  that  they  who  have  been  guilty  of 
Jhedding  the  blood  cf  faints  and  prophets^  ftiould  be  puniftied  in 
the  effufion  of  their  own  blood.      Another  angel  out  of  the  altar^ 
(ver.  7.)"  for  vi.  9.  "  under  the  altar  were  the  fouls  of  them  who 

{a)  Imo  Perfai  exiilimant  pe-culiari  angelo   demandatuin   eiffc  . 
tueri  aquas,  &c.  Hyde  de  Relig.  Vet.  Pcrlarum,  Cap.  6.  P.  139. 
Vide  etiam.  Cap.  19. 


T  H  fi     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  317 

*'  were  flain  for  the  word  of  God  and  for  thcteftimony  which 
"  they  held,'*  declarer  his  afTent  in  the  mofl:  folemn  manner, 
Evenfo^  Lord  God  Jlmighty^  true  and  righteous  arc  thy  judge- 
mcnts. 

8  And  the  fourth  angc]  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the 
fun  ;  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  fcorch  them  with 
fire. 

9  And  men  were  fcorched  with  great  heat,  and  blaf- 
phemed  the  name  cf  God,  which  hath  power  over  thefc 
plagues :  and  they  repented  not  to  give  him  glory. 

As  the  fourth  trumpet  afFecEled  the  fun  ;  (viii.  12.)  fo  lilce- 
wife  the  fourth  vial  (ver.  8,  9.)  is  poured  cut  upon  the  fun. 
An  intenfe  heat  enfues  ;  and  ?ncn  blafphcme  the  na?ne  of  God^ 
and  repent  not  to  give  him  glory.  Whether  by  this  intenfe  heat 
of  the  fun,  be  meant  literally,  uncommon  fultry  fcafons, 
fcorching  and  whithering  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  producing 
peftilential  fever  and  inflammations  :  or  figuratively,  a  moft 
tyrannical  and  exorbitant  exercife  of  arbitrary  power  by  thofc 
who  may  be  called  the  fun  in  the  firmament  of  the  beaft,  the 
Pope  or  emperor  ;  time  muft  difcover.  Men  fhall  be  tor- 
mented, and  complain  grievoufly  ;  they  fhall  like  the  rebellious 
Jews,  If.  viii.  21.  "fret  themfelves,  and  curfe  their  king,  and 
"  their  God,  and  look  upward,"  look  upward  not  to  pray  but 
only  to  blafpheme  ;  they  {hall  not  have  the  kn(Q  or  courage  to 
repent,  and  forfake  their  idolatry  and  wickednefs.  When  the 
events  {hall  take  place,  and  thefe  things  fhall  be  all  fulfilled, 
not  only  thefe  prophecies  of  the  vials  (hall  be  better  underltood. 
but  alfo  thofc  of  the  trumpets,  to  which  they  bear  fume  analogy 
and  refemblance. 

10  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  feat 
of  the  beaft  ;  and  his  kingdom  was  full  of  darknefs,  and 
they  knawed  their  tongues  for  pain.  • 

11  And  blafphemed  the  God  of  heaven,  becaufe  of 
their  pain  and  their  fores,  and  repented  not  of  their 
deeds. 

Vial  the  fifth  (ver.  10,  II.)  \s  poured  out  upon  the  feat  or 
throne  of  the  beaji^  and  his  kingdom  becomes  full  of  darknefs^ 
as  Egypt  did  (Exod.  x.  21.)  under  her  math  plague.     Thisis 


3i8         DISSERTATIONS. oM 

fome  great  calamity  which  fhall  fall  upon  Rome  itfelf,  and  fliall 
darken  and  confound  the  whok  AntichriiHan  empire.  But 
flill  the  confequences  of  this  plague  are  much  the  fame  as  thofe 
of  the  foregoing  one :  for  the  fuiferers,  inftead  of  repenting  of 
their  deedsy  are  hardened  like  Pharoah,  and  ftill  perfift  in  their 
blafphemy  and  idolatry,  and  obftinately  withftand  all  attempts  of 
reformation. 

12  And  the  fixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the 
great  river  Euphrates;  and  the  vi'ater  thereof  was  dried 
up,  that  the  way  of  the  kings  of  the  eaft  might  be 
prepared. 

13  And  I  faw  three  unclean  fpirits  like  frogs  come  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
beaft,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  falfe  prophet. 

14  For  they  are  the  fpirits  of  devils,  working  mira- 
cles, which  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  of 
the  whole  w^orld,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  that  great 
day  of  God  almighty. 

15  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  BlefTed  is  he  that  watch- 
eth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  left  he  walk  naked,  and 
they  fee  his  fhame. 

16  And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called  in 
the  Hebrew  tongue,  Armageddon. 

Vial  the  fixth  (ver.  12.)  is  poured  out  upon  the  great  river 
Euphrates^  and  the  water  thereof  is  dried  up^  to  prepare  a  paf- 
fage  for  the  kings  of  the  eaji.  VVhether  by  Euphrates  be  meant 
the  river  fo  called,  or  only  a  myftic  Euphrates,  as  Rome  is 
myftic  Babylon  ;  and  whether  hy  the  kings  of  the  eaji  be  meant 
the  Jews  in  particular,  or  any  eaftern  potentates  in  general ; 
can  be  matters  only  of  conjedure,  and  not  of  certainty  and 
aflurance  till  the  event  fhall  make  the  determination.  Whoe- 
ver they  be,  they  appear  to  threaten  the  ruin  and  deftru6lion 
of  the  kingclom  of  the  beaft :  and  therefore  [a)  the  agents  and 
emiffaries  or  popery,  (ver.  13,  14.)  of  the  dragon^  the  repre- 
fentative  of  the   devil,  and  of  the    heajl^  the  reprefentative  of 


(/?)  The  three  unclean  fpirits  like  frogs,  Mr.  Mann  conceives 
to  be  the  Dominicans,  Francifcans,  and  Jefuits.  Dominicani, 
Francifcani,  et  Loyalitje  tres  impuros  fpiritas  ranis  fimiles  non 
male  referunt.  M.  S, 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


2^0 


the  antichrlflian  empire,  and  of  the  falfi- prophet^  the  reprcfuii- 
tative  of  the  autichrillian  church,  as  diiagrccable,  as  loquacious, 
as  forclid,  as  impudent   {a)  as  frogs^  are  employed  to  oppofc 
them,  and  ftir  up  the  princes  and  potentates  of  their  commu- 
nion to  make  their   united  and  laft  effort  in  a  religious  war. 
Of  necelTi  y  thefe  mull  be  times  of  great  trouble  and  afflidlion  ; 
fo  that  an  exhortation  is  inferted   (ver.  15.)  by  way  of  parcn- 
thefis,  of  i\\Q  fuddennefs  of  thefc  judgments,  and  of  the  hUJed- 
nefs  of  watching^  and  of  being  doathed  and  prepared  for  all 
events.     Bez2t  conceives  that  this  verfe  was  transferred  hither 
from  the  third  chapter,  where   it  fhould  be  fubjoined  to  the 
eighteenth  verfe:  but  the  third  chapter  and  the  fixceenth  chap- 
ter   are    too  great   a  diltance  for    fuch  a  tranfpofition  to  be 
made.      However  it  is  certain  that  this  infertion  hath  in  fomc 
meafare  difturbed  the  fenfe,  and  broken  the  connection  of  the 
difcourfe ;  for  our  tranflators  as  well  as  feveral  others  render 
the  following  words  (ver.  16.)   And  he  gathered  them  together ^ 
when  the  true  conftruclion  is.  And  they  gathered  them  together^ 
the  evil  fpirits  and  agents  before  mentioned  gather  all  the  for- 
ces of  the   popifli  princes  together,  into  a  place  called  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon^  that  is  the  jnountain  of  dejirudion, 

jy  And  the  feventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  into  the 
air;  and  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of 
heaven,  from  the  throne,  faying,  It  is  done. 

18  And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders,   and  light- 
nings ;    and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  fuch  as  was  . 
not  fince  men  were  upon  the  earth,  fo  mighty  an  earth- 
quake and  fo  great 

'  19  And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts; 
and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell :  and  great  Babylon 
came  in  remembrance  before  God,  to  gi/e  unto  her  the 
cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fiercenefs  of  his  wrath. 

20  And  every  illand  fled  away,  and  the  mountains 
were  not  found. 

21  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  hea- 
ven, every  Jlone  about  the  weight  of  a  talent:  and  men 
blafphemed  God  becaufe  of  the  plague  of  the  hail ;  for 
the  plague  thereof  was  exceeding  great. 


(«)  Vide  Bochani  Hieroz.  Part.  Poll.  Lib,  5.  Cap.  4. 


320         DISSERTATIONS    on 

Vial  the  feventh  (ver.  17.)   is  poured  out  into  the  airy  the 
feat  of  Satan's  refidence,  who  is  emphatically  ftiled,  Eph.  ii.  2. 
"  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'*  and  is  reprefented  (ver. 
13.)  a?  a  principal  a£l:or  in  thefe  latter  fcenes  j  (o  that  tliislaft 
period  will  not  only  complete  the  ruin  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
beaft,  but  will  alfo  iliake  the  kingdom  of  Satan  every  where. 
Upon  the  pouring  out  of  this  vial   a  folemn  proclamation  is 
made  from  the  throne  of  God  himfelf,  It  is  done ;  in  the  fame 
fenfe  as  the  angel  before  affirmed,  x.  7.  that  "  in   the  days  of 
"  the  feventh  trumpet  the  myftery  of  God  fhouid  be  finifhed." 
Of  this  vial,  as  indeed  of  all  the  former,  the  completion  is  gra- 
dual;  and  the  immediate  effects  and   confequences  are  (ver. 
II — 21.)  voicesy  and  thunders^  and  lightnings^and  an  earth- 
quake^  and  great  hail.     Thefe  portend  great  calamities.    Voices^ 
and  thunders^  and  lightnings^  are   the   ufual  attendants  of  the 
deity,  efpecially  in  his  judgments.     Great  earthquakes  in  pro- 
phetic language  fignify  great  changes  and  revolutions  ;  and  this 
is  fuch  an  one  as  men  never  felt  and  experienced  before,  fuch 
Gs  was  notfince  men  were  upon  the  earth.  ■   Not  only  the  great 
city  is  divided  into  three  parts  or  facSlions,  but  the  cities  of  the 
nations  fall  ixom  their  obedience  to  her.     Her  fms  are  reme7n- 
hered  before  God^  and  like  another  Babylon  fhe  will  foon  be 
made  to  drink  of  the  bitter  cup  of  his   anger.     Nay  not  only 
the  works  of  men,  the  cities  fall ;  but  even  the  works  of  nature, 
the  iflands  fly  away ^  and  the  mountains  are  not  found -,  which  is 
more  than  was  faid  before,  vi.  14.  that  they  "were  moved  out 
«  of  their  places,"  and  canjimport  no  lefs  than  an  utter  extir- 
pation of  idolatry.     Great  hail  too  often  fignifies^the  judgments 
of  God,  and    thefe   are  uncommon  judgments.     Diodorus,  a 
grave  hiftorian,  {a)  fpeaketh  of  hailftones,  which   weighed  a 
pound   and   more;  Philoftorgius  mentions   hail  that  weighed 
eight  pounds  \  but  thefe  are  about  the  weight  of  a  talent^  or 
about  a  hundred  pounds,  a  ftrong  figure  to  denote  the  greatnefs 
and  feverity  of  thefe  judgments.     But  ftill  the  men  continue 
obftinate,  and  hlafphe?ne  God  becaufe  of  the  plague  of  the  hail\ 
they  remain  incorrigible  under  the  divine  judgments,  and  fliall 
be  deftroyed  before  they  will  be  reformed. 

\a)  Et  magnitudinis  incredibiles  grando  :  minae  enim  pondo, 
ct  quandoque  majores,  deciderant.  Diodorus  Sic.  Lib.  19.  d$ 
Rhodiorum  diluvio.  P.  695.  Edit.  Steph.  P.  689.  Edit.  Rhodo- 
mani.  Philoft.  Hill.  Ecclel".  Lib.  1 1.  Cap.  7. 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


C  H  A  P.     XVII 


AS  \.\\e  feventJ)  fcal^  and  the  fiijentJ?  /rwwpt-f,  contain  many 
more  particulars  than  any  of  the  former  feais,  and  former  trum- 
pets :  fo  the  /event h  vial  contains  more  than  any  of  the  former 
vials:  and  the  more  you  confider  the  more  admirable  you  will 
find  the  ftructure  of  this  book  in  all  its  parts.  The  deltrudlrion 
of  the  Antichriftian  empire  is  a  fubjccl  of  fuch  Importance  and 
confequence,  that  the  holy  Spirit  hath  thought  ht  lo  rcpre- 
fent  it  under  a  variety  of  images.  Rome  hath  already  been  cha- 
iai^terized  by  the  names  oi fpiritual  Egypt  and  Balylou:  and 
having  fsen  her  plagues  refemble  thcfe  of  Egypt,  v/e  fnall  now 
fee  her  fall  compared  to  that  oi  Babylon.  It  was  declared  before 
in  general,  (xiv.  8.)  "  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen ;"  but  this  is 
a  cataftrophe  deferving  of  a  more  particular  dcfcription,  both 
for  a  warning  to  fome,  and  for  a  confolation  to  others.  But  be- 
fore the  defcription  of  her  fall  and  deihuclion,  there  is  premiil-d 
an  account  of  her  ftate  and  condition,  that  there  may  be  no  mil- 
take  in  the  application.  Rome  was  meant,  as  all  both  {a)  pa- 
plfts  and  proteflants  agree  ;  and  I  think  it  appears  almoll  to 
demonftration,  that  no  Pagan  but  Chriftian,  not  imperial  but 
papal  Rome  was  here  intended  :  and  the  argument  urged  to  the 
contrary  by  the  Bifhop  of  Meaux  himfelf,  the  beil  and  ableft 
advocate  for  popery,  prove  nothing  (o  much  as  the  v/cakncfs 
and  badnefs  of  the  caufe,  which  they  are  brought  to  defend. 

I      AND  there  came  one  of  the  feven  angels  which  had 
/\    the  feven  vials,  and  talked  with  me,  faying  umo  me. 
Come  hither,  I  will  iliow  unto  thee  the  Judgment  of  the  great 
whore,  that  fitteth  upon  many  waters  : 

2  With  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  for- 
nication, and  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  have  been  made  drunk 
with  the  wine  of  her  fornication. 
Vol.  II.  S  f 


{a)  Certiffimum  eft  nomine  Babylonis  Romnm  urbcm  figniilcari. 
Baronius  ad  Ann.  45.  Johannes  in  Apccalypfi  paiiini  Rcmam 
voeat  Babyloncm. — Ex  aperte  coUigitur  ex  Cap.  17.  Apocalypfcs, 
Eellarmin.  de  Rom.  Pontit.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  13.  ^c.  kz.  5.c. 


322        DISSERTATIONS     on 

3  So  he  carried  me  away  in  the  fpirit  into  the  wildernefs, 
ano  1  faw  a  woman  fit  upon  a  fcai let-coloured  beaft,  full 
oi"  riaaies  of  blafphemy,  having  feven  heads,  and  ten 
horns. 

4  And  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple,  and  fcarlet- 
colour,  and  decked  with  gold  and  precious  ftones  and  pearls, 
having  a  golden  cup  m  her  hand,  full  of  abominations  and 
fikhinvd's  C'f  her  fornication. 

5  And  upon  her  fo/elead  was  a  name,  written,  MYS- 
TLRY,BAiiyLON  THE  GREAT,THE  MOTHER 
OF  HARLOTS,  AND  ABOMlNATiONS  OF  THE 
EAR'JH. 

6  And  I  faw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the 
faints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jefus  :  and  when 
I  faw  her  I  wondered  with  great  admiration. 

One  of  the  f even  angeU^  who  had  the  f even  viah^  (ver.  i.) 
calleih  to  St.  John.  Moft  probably  this  was  thefeventh  angely 
for  under  the  ieventh  vial  great  Babylon  ca?ne  into  rememi  ranee 
bejore  God^  and  now  St.  John  is  called  upon  to  fee  her  condem- 
nation and  execution.  Co?ne  hither^  I  will  Jhow  unto  thee  the 
judgment  of  the  great  whore^  that  fttteth  upon  many  waters.  So 
ancient  Babylon,  which  was  feated  on  the  great  river  Euphra- 
tes, is  defcnbed  by  Jeremiiah  li.  13.  as  "  dwelling  upon  many 
*'  waters  :"  and  from  thence  the  phrafe  is  borrowed,  and  figni- 
fies,  according  to  the  angePs  own  explication,  (ver.  15.)  rul- 
ing over  many  peoples  and  nations.  Neither  was  this  an  or- 
dinary proftiture  j  file  was  the  great  whore.,  (ver.  2.)  with  whom 
the  kings  oj  the  earth  have  committed  fornication :  as  Tyre, 
If.  xxiii.  17.  "committed  fornication  with  all  the  kingdoms  of 
**  the  world  upon  the  face  of  the  earth."  Nay  not  only  the 
kings^  but  inferior  perfons,  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  have  leen 
made  drunk  with  the  wine  oJ  her  fornication  ;  as  it  was  faid  of 
ancient  Babylon,  Jer.  li.  7.  "  the  nations  have  drunken  of  her 
"  wine,  therefore  the  nations  are  mad."  Fornication  in  the 
ufual  flile  of  fcripture  is  idolatry:  but  if  it  be  taken  even  liter- 
rally,  it  is  true  that  modern  Rome  openly  allows  the  one,  as  well 
as  pradifes  the  other.  Ancient  Rome  doth  in  no  refpe£^  {o 
well  anfwer  the  charader ;  for  fhc  ruled  more  with  a  rod  of  iron, 
than  with  the  wine  of  her  fornication.  What,  and  where  were 
the  kings,  whom  (lie  courted  and  debauched  to  her  commu- 
nion ?  "What,  and  where  were  the  people,  whom  (he  inveigled 


T  H  E     P  R  O  P  H  K  C  I  L  S.  323 

and  Intoxicated  with  her  idolatry  ?  Her  ambition  was  for  ex- 
tending her  empire,  and  not  her  religion.  She  permitted  cva\ 
the  conquered  nations  tocondnuc  in  the  i  Jigion  of  their  iuic.f- 
tors,  and  to  vvorfhip  their  own  gods  after  their  own  ri  uJs. 
She  may  be  fdid  rather  to  have  been  corrupted  Iv  the  i.:p()i  ca- 
tion of  foreign  vices  and  fuperftitions,  than  to  have  eitabliihed 
their  own  in  other  countries. 

As  Ezekiel,  while  he  was  a  captive  in  Chaldaea,  was  con- 
veyed  by  the  fpirit  to  Jerufalem,  (Kzelc.  viii.  3.)  C)  Sl.  John 
(ver.  3.)  is  carried  away  in  the  fpirit  into  tke  wiiderncfs  \  for 
there  the   fccne  is  laid,   being  a  fcene  of  defolation.      When 
the  woman,  the  true  church,  was  perfecuted  and  aiHi6lcd,  (he 
was  faid  (xii.  14.)  "  to  fly  into  the  wild.rnefs ;"  and  in  like 
manner,  when  the  woman,  the  falfe  church,  is  to  be  deflroyed, 
the  vifion  is  prefented  in  the  wilderncfs.     For  they  are  by  no 
means,  as  fome  have  imagined,  the  fame  woman  under  vari- 
ous reprefentations.     They  are  totally  dilllnct  and  different  cha- 
racters, and  drawn  in  contraft   to  each  other,  as  appears  fro. 71 
their  whole  attire  and  behaviour,  and  particularly  from  thcfe 
two  circumftances  J  that  during  the  one  thoufand  two  hundred 
and  lixty  years  while  the  woman  is  fed  in  ths  wildcrnefs^  tlie 
beaft  and  the  fcarlet  whore  are  reigning  and  triumphant,  and 
at  the  latter  end,  the  whore  is  burnt  with  fire  ^  when  the  woman 
as  his  wife^  hath  made  h  erf  elf  ready  for  the  7narriage  of  the 
Lamb.      A  woman  fitting  upon  a  beajl  is  a  lively  a.id  ligiiiJija- 
tive  emblem  of  a  church  or  city  directing  and  governing  an 
empire.     In   painting  and  fculpture,  as  well  as  in  prop!i;tic 
language,  cities  are  often  reprefented  in  the  form  of  women, 
and  Rome  herfelf  is  exhibited  [a)  in  ancient  coins  as  av/oman 
fitting  upon  a  lion.     Here  the  bead  \s  a  fcarlet-ccloured  beafiy 
for  the  fame  reafon  that  the  dragon  was,   (xii.  3  )     "a    red 
"  dragon:"  to  denote  his  cru.4ty,  and  in  allufion  to  the  dillin- 
guifhing  colour  of  the  Roman  emperors  and  rnagiftrates.     The 
beaft  is  2X^0  full  cf  names  of  tlafphc my ^  having  jc-j en  heads  and 
ten  horns  \  fo  that  is  the  very  fime  beaft  v/hich  was  defcribed 
in  the  former  part  of  the  thirteenth  chapttr ;  and  tlie  woman  in 
fome  meafure  anfwers  to  the  tv/o-horn-d  beaft  or  falfe  prophet; 
and  coi:fequently  the  woman  is  a  Chriftian,  and   not  Pagan 
Rome  ;  becaufe  Rome  was  become  Chriftian,  before  the  beaft 
had  completely  fcven  heads  and  ten   horns^  that  is  before  the 


{a)  Vitring,  P.  7>7.  Emmenefs.  ad  Virg.-^iin.  vi.  854. 


324         DISSERTATIONS     on 

Roman  empire  experienced  its  laftform  of  government,  and  v/as 
divided  into  ten  kingdoms.  The  wom.an  was  arrayed  too  (ver. 
4.,)  in  piu'ple  andjcarlet-colonr^  this  being  the  colour  of  the  popes 
and  cardinals,  as  well  as  of  the  emperors  and  fenators  of  Rome. 
Nay,  the  mules  and  horfes,  which  carry  the  popes  and  cardi- 
nals, are  covered  with  fcarlet  cloth,  fo  that  they  may  properly 
be  faid  to  ride  upon  afcarlet-coloured  heaji.  The  woman  is  al-fo 
decked  with  goUl-^  and  precious  Jhnes^  and  pearls  :  and  who  can 
fufHciently  defcribe  the  pride,  and  grandeur,  and  magnificence 
of  the  church  of  Rome  in  her  veilments  and  ornaments  of  all 
kinds  ?  Alexander  Donatus  [a)  hath  drawn  a  comparifon  be- 
tween ancient  and  modern  Rome,  and  afferts  the  fuperiority  or 
his  own  church  in  the  pomp  and  fplendor  of  religion.  You 
have  a  remarkable  inftance  in  Paul  II.  of  whom  {b)  Platina  re- 
lates, that  "  in  his  pontifical  veftments  he  outwent  all  his  pre- 
"  deceiFors,  efpecially  in  his  regno  or  mitre,  upon  which  he 
^  had  laid  out  a  great  deal  of  money  in  purchafing  at  vaft 
"  rates,  diam.onds,  faphirs,  emiralds,  chryfoliths.  jafpcrs,  uni- 
"  ons,  and  all  manner  of  precious  ftones,  whercv/ith  adorned 
"  like  another  Aaron  he  would  appear  abroad  fomewhat  more 
"  auguft  than  a  man,  delighting  to  be  feen  and  admired  by 
"  every  one.  But  left  he  alone  fhould  feem  to  differ  from 
«  the  reft,  he  made  a  decree,  that  none  but  cardinals  fliould, 
"  under  a  penalty,  wear  red  caps  ;  to  whom  he  had  in  the  firft 
*•  year  of  his  popedom  given  cloth  of  that  colour,  to  make 
"  horfe-cloths  or  mule-cloths  of  when  they  rode."  You  have 
another  confpicuous  inftance  in  the  Lady  of  Loretto  ;  the  (>) 
riches  of  whofe  holy  image, and  houfe,  and  treafury;  the  golden 
angels,  the  gold  and  filver  lamps;  the  vaft  number,  variety,  and 
ricbncfs  of  the  jewels,  of  the  veftments  for  the  holy  image,  and 
for  the  priefts ;  with  the  prodigious  treafures  of  all  forts ;  are 
far  beyond  the  reach  of  defcription;  and  as  Mr.  Addifon  fays, 
"  as  rriuch  furpafled  my  expecSlation,  as  other  fights  have  gene- 
"  rally  fallen  Ihort  of  it.  Silver  can  fcarce  find  an  admiffion, 
"  and  gold  itfelf  looks  but  poorly  amongft  fuch  an  incredible 
"  number  of  precious  ftones."  Moreover  the  woman,  like 
other  harlots  who  give  philters  and  love-potions    to  inflame 


{a)   Vitring.  P.  759.  Donat.  de  Urbc  Roma.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  29. 
\h)   Platind's  Lives  of  the  Popes,   tranflated  by  Sir  Paul  Ry- 
caut.  P.  414. 

(0  Sec  Wright's  Travels,  P.  123.  Addlfon's  Travels,  P.  93. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


3^5 


their  lovers,  liath  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand,  full  of  ahomtnaUom 
andfilthmejs  of  her  fornication  ;  to  fignity  the  (pf-cious  and  al- 
luring arts,  wherewith  fhe  bewitchctli  and  inciteth  men  to 
idolatry,  which  is  abo?nination  and fpiritual  fornication.  It  is 
an  image  copied  fVo.in  Jeremiah,  li.  7.  "  Babylon  hath  been  a 
"  golden  cup  in  the  Lord's  hand,  that  made  all  the  earth  drunk- 
"  en:'*  and  in  that  excellent  little  moral  treatife,  {a)  intitlcd 
the  Table  of  Cebes,  there  is  a  like  pidarc  of  Deceit  or  Ini- 
pofttire;  «a  fair,  beautiful,  and  falfc  woman,  and  havinc^  a  cup 
"  in  her  hand  3  fhe  is  called  Deceit,  and  Icduceth  all  mankind.'' 
And  is  not  this  a  much  more  proper  emblem  of  pontifical  than 
of  imperial  Rome  ^ 

Yet  farther  to  diftinguifh  the  woman,  fhe  has  her  name  in- 
fcribed  upon  her  forehead^  (ver.  5.)  in  allufion  to  the  pra(f^ice 
of  fome  notorious  proftitutes,  who  had  their  names  written  in 
a  label  upon  their  foreheads,  as  we  may  [h)  collect  from  an- 
cient authors.  The  infcription  is  fo  very  particular,  that  we 
cannot  eafily  mi  flake  the  perfon  ;  Myjlery^  Babylon  the  greaty 
the  ?nother  of  harlots^  or  rather  of  fornications  and  abominations 
of  the  earth.  Her  name  Myflery  can  imply  no  lefs,  than  that 
fhe  dealeth  in  myfierics  ;  her  religion  is  a  myfiery^  a  myflery  of 
iniquity ;  and  fhe  herfelf  is  myfiically  and  fpiritually  Babylon 
the  great.  But  the  title  of  myjlery  is  in  no  refpefl:  proper  to 
ancient  Rome,  more  than  any  other  city:  and  neither  is  there 
any  myftery  in  fubftituti ng  one  heathen,  idolatrous,  and  perfc- 
cuting  city  for  another  5  but  it  is  indeed  a  myftery,  that  a 
chriftian  city  profeffing  and  boafting  herfelf  to  be  the  city  of 
God,  fhould  prove  another  Babylon  in  idokcry  and  cruelty  to 
the  people  of  God.  She  glories  in  the  name  of  Roman  Catholic^ 
and  well  therefore  may  fhe  be  called  Babylon  the  great.  She 
afFe(3:s  the  ftile  and  title  of  our  holy  mother  the  churchy  but  file 
is  in  truth  the  mother  of  fornicatiom  and  ahauinations  of  the 
earth.  Neither  can  this  character  with  any  propriety  be  ap- 
plied to  ancient  Rome  ;  for  Ihe  was  rather  a  learner  of  foreign 
fuperftitions,  than  the  miltrefs  of  idolatry  to  other  nations ; 


{a)  Muiier  fido  vultu,  argutaque  fpecle,  et  manu  proculum 
qucddam  tenens.  Impoftura  vocatur,  qux  omnes  homines  ieducit. 
Tab.  Cebetis  non  longe  ab  initio. 

(/')  Nomen  tuum  pependit  in  fronte:  pretia  ftuprl  accepifti,  kZs 
Seneca.  Lib.  i.  Comroverf.  2.  Juvenal.  Sat.  Vll.  12:. 

— tunc  nuda  papillis 
Conilitit  auratis,  titulum  mentita  Lycifcx. 


326         DISSERTATIONS     on 

as  appears  in  various  inftances,  and  particularly  from  (a)  that 
foJemn  form  of  adjuration,  which  the  Romans  ufed  when  they 
laid  fiege  to  a  city,  calling  forth  the  tutelary  deities  of  the  place, 
and  promifmg  them  temples,  and  facrificcs,  and  other  folemni- 
ties  at  Rome.  It  may  be  concluded  therefore  that  this  part 
of  the  prophecy  is  fufficiently  fulfilled,  though  there  fhould  be 
reafon  to  qucftion  the  truth  of  what  is  aflerted  by  fome  writers^ 
that  the  word  myjiery  was  formerly  written  in  letters  of  gold 
upon  the  forepart  of  the  Pope^s  mitre.  Scaliger  {b)  affirms  it 
upon  the  authority  of  the  Duke  de  Montmorency,  who  receiv- 
ed his  information  from  a  man  of  good  credit  at  Rome.  Fran- 
cis le  Moyne  and  Brocardus  (r)  conffirm  it,  appealing  to  ocu- 
lar infpedion;  and  when  king  James  objeded  this,  LeiTius 
could  not  deny  it.  If  the  thing  be  triie,  it  is  a  wonderful  co- 
incidence of  the  event  with  the  letter  of  the  prophecy ;  but  it 
hath  been  much  controverted,  and  you  may  fee  the  authors  on 
both  fides  in  i^d)  VVolfius.  It  is  much  more  certain,  and  none 
of  that  communion  can  deny  it,  that  the  ancient  mitres  were 
ufually  adorned  with  infcripiions.  One  particularly  {e)  there 
is  "  preferved  at  Rome  as  a  precious  relic  of  Pope  Sylvefter  I. 
*'  richly  but  not  artfully  embroidered  with  the  figure  of  the  vir- 
"  gin  Mary  crowned,  and  holding  a  little  Chrift,  and  thefe 
"  words  in  large  capitals  underneath,  AVE  REGINA  CELI, 
"  Hail  queen  of  heaven^  in  the  front ;  of  which  father  Angeio 
"  Rocca,  keeper  of  the  Pope's  facrifty,  and  an  eminent  anti- 
"  quary  has  given  a  copper-plate  in  the  third  vol.  P.  490  of 
"  the  works  of  Pope  Gregory  I.  and  itfeems  more  probably  to 


{a)  Macrobii  Staturnal.     Lib.  3.  Cap.  9. 

{h)  Feu  Monfieurne  Montmorency  eftant  a  Rome  du  temps  qu* 
on  parloit  libremcnt  et  du  S.  Fere  ct  duS.  Siege,  apprit  d'homme 
digne  de  foy,  qu'  a  la  verite  le  tiare  pontifical  avoit  efcript  au  fron- 
tal en  lettres  d'or  Myilerium.     Seal,  in  locum  apud  Critic.    Sacr. 

(0  Idem  quoque  confirmant  Franc  le  Moyne  et  Jacobus  Brocar- 
dus  inh.l.  adprovocantes,  non  diuimulante Leonardo Leffio.  WoL 
fius  in  locum,  b^.  tiara,  in  mitra  papjchabes  hoc  verbumMyfterium 
fcriptum  :  ut  non  fit  tibi  opus  longius  interpretationem  qu.-eixre. 
Brocard  in  locum  apud  Vitring.  P.  763.  Romanus  pontifex,  in  fua 
tiara,  hoc  ipfum  roncn  inlcriptum  habuit  Myilerium,  qucd  ipH 
teftati  funt :  et  cum  id  Jacobus  Rex  olmceret,  LelTius  negare  non 
potuit.'     Downam.  apud  Poll  Synopf.  ir.  locum. 

{d)  Jo.  Chrirtofori  Wolfii  Cura:  Philolog.  et  Crlticae.  Tom.  5. 

{/)  Sec  Mann's  critical  Notes  on  forr.e  paiugcs  of  Scripture. 
f.  112. 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  327 

«  have  belonged  to  Gregory  ;  becaufe  he  Is  faid  to  have  firR  in- 
«  ftituted  at  Rome  the  Hcanies  to  the  virgin  iMary."  An  inlcrip- 
tion  this  directly  contrary  to  that  on  tiTe  forefront  of  the  high 
prieft's  mitre,  (Exou.  xxviii.  36.)  HOLINESS  TO  THE 
LORL). 

Infamous  as  the  woman  is  for  her  idolatry,  (he  is  no  lefs  dc- 
teftable  for  her  cruelty,  which  arc  the  two  principal  charac^cr- 
iftics  of  the  Ancichriftian  empire.  Siie  is  (ver.  6.)  dri^nkeyt 
with  the  blood  of  the  fui;  ts,  and  with  the  Uood  of  the  inartjrs 
of  Jejus  :  which  may  indeed  be  applied  bo.h  to  Pagan  and  to 
ChrilHan  Rome,  for  boih  have  in  their  turns  cruelly  perfe- 
cuted  the  fatbits  and  martyrs  ofjefus ;  but  the  latter  is  more 
deferring  of  the  charajier,  as  Ihe  hath  far  exceeded  the  former 
both  in  the  degree  and  duration  of  her  pcrfccutions.  It  is  very 
true,  as  it  was  hinted  before,  that  if  R  -me  Pagan  hath  (lain 
her  thoufand  of  innocent  chriftians,  Rome  Chri'flian  hath  ilain 
her  ten  thoufands.  For  not  to  mention  outrageous  /laughters 
and  barbarities:  the  croifades  againfl:  the  Waldenfes  and  Albi- 
genfes,  the  murders  committed  by  the  Duke  of  Alva  in  the 
Netherlands,  the  maflacres  in  France  and  Ireland,  will  proba- 
bly amount  to  above  ten  times  the  number  of  all  the  Chriflians 
flain  in  all  the  ten  perfecutions  of  the  Roman  emperors  put  to- 
gether. St.  John's  admiration  alfo  plainly  evinces,  that 
Chriftian  Rome  was  intended:  for  it  could  be  matter  of  fur- 
prife  to  him,  that  a  heathen  city  fhould  perfecute  the  Chriftians, 
whenhe  himfelf  had  feen  and  fufFered  the  perfecutions  under 
Nero;  but  that  a  city,  profefledly  chriftians,  fliould  wanton 
and  riot  in  the  blood  of  Chriftians,  was  a  fubjetlt  of  aftoniih- 
ment  indeed;  and  well  might  he,  as  it  is  emphatically  expref* 
fed,  wonder  with  great  wonder. 

7  And  the  angel  faid  unto  me.  Wherefore  didft  thou 
marvel  ?  I  will  tell  thee  the  myflery  of  the  woman,  and 
of  the  beaft  that  carricth  her,  which  hath  the  feven  heads 
and  ten  horns. 

8  The  beaft  that  thou  faweft,  was,  and  is  not;  and 
fhall  afcend  out  of  the  bottomlefs  pit,  and  go  into  perdi- 
tion :  and  they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  fhall  wonder, 
(whofe  names  were  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world)  when  they  behold  the  beaft 
that  was,  and  is.  not,  and  yet  is. 

9  And  here  is  the  mind  which  hath  vvifdora.  The 
{Qven  heads  are  feven  mountains  on  which  the  woman 
fitteth. 


328  DISSERTATIONS    on 

10  And  there  are  feven  kings :  five  are  fallen,  and  one 
is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come ;  and  when  he  cometh, 
he  muft  continue  a  fhort  fpace. 

1 1  And  the  beaft  that  was,  and  is  not,  even  he  is  the 
eighth,  and  is  of  the  itx^n^  and  goeth  into  perdition. 

12  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  fav/eft,  are  ten  kings, 
which  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet ;  but  receive  pow- 
er as  kings  one  hour  with  the  beaft. 

13  Thefe  have  one  mind,  and  fhall  give  their  power 
and  il;rength  unto  the  beaft. 

14  Thefe  fliall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb 
fhall  overcome  them :  for  he  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  King 
of  kings  ;  and  they  that  are  with  him,  arc  called,  and 
chofen,  and  faithful. 

15  And  he  faith  unto  me,  The  waters  which  thou 
laweft,  where  the  whore  fitteth,  are  peoples,  and  multi- 
tudes, and  nations,  and  tongues. 

16  And  the  ten  horns  which  tliou  fa  weft  upon  the 
beaft,  thefe  fhall  hate  the  v/hore,  and  ftiail  make  her  defo- 
late,  and  naked,  and  ihall  eat  her  flefh,  and  burn  her  with 
fire. 

17  For  God  hath  put  in  their  hearts  to  fulfill  his  will, 
and  to  agree,  and  give  their  kingdom  unto  the  beaft,  until 
the  words  of  God  ftiall  be  fulfilled. 

18  And  the  woman  which  thou  faweft,  is  that  great 
city,  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth. 

It  w^s  not  thought  fufficient  to  reprefent  thefe  things  only 
iavifionj  and  therefore  the  angel,  like  the  nuncius,  or  meften- 
ger  in  the  ancient  drama,  undertakes  to  explain  (ver.  7.)  the 
?nyjiery^  the  myftic  fcene  or  fecret  meaning,  of  the  luoman^  and 
of  the  heajithat  carrieth  her  :  and  the  angel's  interpretation  is 
indeed  the  beft  key  to  the  Revelation,  the  beft  clue  to  direft 
and  condu6l  us  through  this  intricate  labvrinth. 

The  myjiery  of  the  beaft  is  firft  explained  3  and  the  heafi  is 
confidercd  firft  in  general  (ver.  8.)  under  a  threefold  ftate  or 
fucceflion,  as  exifting,  and  then  ceafing  to  be,  and  then  reviv- 
ing again,  fo  as  to  become  another  and  the  fame.  He  was^ 
and  is  not^  and  yet  isy  or  according  to  other  copies,  and  Jhall 
conie^  Jhall  afcend  out  of  the  bottomlefs  pit.  A  beaji  in  the 
prophetic  ftiie,  as  we  before  obferved,  is  a  tyrannical  idola- 
trous empire  i  and  the   Roman  empire  was  idolatrous  under 


THE    PROPFIECIES 


3^-9 


the  Heathen  emperors,  and  then  ceafcd  to  be  (o  for  foine  time 
under  the  Chriitian  emperors,  and  then  became  idolatrous  again 
under  the  Roman  pontiffs,  and  fo  hath  continued  cerfince. 
It  is  the  fame  idolatrous  power  revived  again,  but  onlvin  ano- 
ther form  ;  and  all  the  corrupt  part  of  munlcind,  whole  names 
are  not  enrolled  as  good  citizens  in  the  regiflers  of  heaven,  are 
pleafed  at  the  revival  of  it :  but  in  this  lait  form  it ^j^i/I ^o  into 
perdition ;  it  Ihall  not,  as  it  did  before,  ceafe  for  a  time,  and 
revive  again,  but  fhall  bedeftroyed  forever. 

After  this  general  account  of  the  beaft,  there  follows  and  ex- 
planation of  the  particular  emblems,  with  a  (hort  preface  inti- 
mating that  they  are  defer ving  of  the  deepeft  attention,  and  arc 
a  proper  exercile  and  trial  of  the  underitanding.  Here  is  the 
7nind  zvhich  hathzvifdo?n;  (ver.  9.)  as  it  was  upon  a  former  oc- 
cafion,  xiii.  18.  "  Here  is  v/ifdom  ;  let  him  that  hath  undcr- 
"  ilanding  count,*'  he.  The /even  /;t'.W5  have  a  double  fig- 
nification.  They  are  primarily  fe'ijc?!  7noimtains  on  which  the 
woman  fittcth^  on  which  the  capital  city  is  feated ;  which  all 
who  have  the  leaft  tincture  of  letters  knov/  to  be  the  fituation 
of  Rome.  HiftorianSj  geographers,  and  poets,  all  fpeak  of 
the  city  with  f even  hills;  and  paiTages  might  be  quoted  to  this 
purpofe  without  number  and  without  end.  It  is  obferved  too, 
that  new  Rome  or  Conftantinople  is  fituated  on  (e\e{\  moun- 
tains :  but  thefe  are  very  rarely  mentioned,  and  n-^entiol^cdonlv 
by  obfcure  authors,  in  comparifon  of  the  ochers  ;  and  befidcs 
the  feven  mountains,  other  particulars  alfomu ft  coincide,  which 
cannot  be  found  in  Conftantinople.  It  is  evident  therefore,  that 
the  city  feated  on  feven  mountains  muft  be  Rome  ;  and  a  plainer 
defcription  could  not  be  given  of  it,  without  expreifmg  the  name, 
which  there  might  be  feveral  wife  reafons  for  concealing. 

As  the  feven  heads  ^I'^m^^  feven  mountains^  lo  they  nlfo  fig- 
niiy  feven  kings^  reigning  over  the  feven  mountains,  (ver.  10, 
II.)  And  they  are  feven  kings  ox  kingdoms^  ox  forms  of  govern- 
ment^ as  the  word  imports,  and  hath  been  fhown  to  import  in 
former  inftances.  Five  are  fallen^  five  of  thefe  forms  of  govern- 
ment are  already  paft  ;  and  one  is^  the  fixth  is  now  fubfnling. 
The  five  fallen  Tire  kings,  :ind  confi  Is,  2Lnd  diSfatsrs,  and^cvj;/z- 
virs,  and  ?nilitary  tribunes  zvith  confular  authority  ;  as  they  arc 
enumerated  and  diftingbifhed  by  thofe  who  fhould  beft  know, 
the  two  greateft  Roman  hiftorians  {a)  Livy  and  Tacitus.  The 

Vol.  II.  T  t 


{a)  Qu2s  ab  condita  urbe  Roma  ad  captam  eandcm  urbem  Ro- 
ani  fub  recribiiG  prL-num,  confulibus  dcindc  ac  dii^atcribus,  de- 


330        DISSERTATIONS    on 

fixth  is  the  power  of  the  Cafars  or  emperors^  which  was  fub- 
ii  -ing  at  the  time  of  the  vifion.  An  end  was  put  to  the  impe- 
rial name  {a)  m  the  year  four  hundred  and  feventy-fix  by  Odo- 
acer  king  of  the  Heruli,  who  having  taken  Rome  depofcd  Mo- 
mvihis  Auguftulas,  the  laft  enjperor  of  the  weft.  He  and  his 
fuccefTors  the  Oftrogoths  aflumed  the  title  of  Kings  of  Italy: 
but  though  the  name  was  changed,  the  pov/er  ft  ill  continued 
much  the  fiime.  This  therefore  cannot  well  be  called  a  new 
form  of  government ;  it  may  rather  beconfidered  as  a  continu- 
ation of  the  imperial  power,  or  as  a  renovation  of  the  kingly 
authority.  Confuls  are  reckoned  but  one  form  of  government, 
tiiough  their  oaice  was  frequently  fufpended,  and  after  a  time 
reftored  again  :  and  in  the  fame  manner  kings  may  be  counted 
but  one  form  of  government,  though  the  name  was  refumed 
after  an  interval  of  (o  many  years.  A  new  form  of  govern- 
ment was  not  ere6ted,  till  Rome  fell  under  the  obedience  of  the 
eaftern  emperor,  and  the  emperor's  lieutenant,  the  exarch  of 
Ravenna,  diflblved  all  the  former  magiftracies,  and  conftituted 
a  Duke  of  Rome,  to  govern  the  people,  and  to  pay  tribute  to 
the  exarchate  of  Ravenna.  Rome  had  never  experienced  this 
form  of  government  before,  and  this  I  conceive  to  be  ^/5/^  cther^ 
which  in  the  apoftle's  days  zvas  not  yet  come^  and  ivhen  he  com- 
eth^  he  ?nuft  continue  a  jhort  jpace.  For  Rome  was  reduced  to 
a  dukedom  tributary  to  the  exarch  of  Ravenna  by  Longinus, 
who  was  fent  exarch  (^)  in  the  year  five  hundred  and  fixty-fix 
according  to  fome  accounts,  or  in  the  year  five  hundred  and 
fixty-eight  according  to  others  :  and  (t:)  the  city  revolted  from 
the  eaftern  emperor  to  the  Pope  in  the  year  feven  hundred  and 
twenty -feven  :  which  is  a  Jhort  /pace  in  comparifonof  the  im- 
perial power,  which  preceded,  and  lafted  above   five  hundred 


cemvirnque  ac  tribunis  confularibus  geffere.  Livii  Lib.  6.  Cap.  i. 
Urbem  Komam  a  prkcipio  reges  habuere.  Libertatem  ct  confu- 
latum  L.  Brutus  indituit.  Cidaturas  ad  tempus  fumebantur  :  ne- 
que  Decemviralis  potellas  ultra  biennium,  neque  tribunorum  mi- 
litum  confulare  jus  diu  valuit.  Non  Cinnae,  non  Sullaj  longa  do- 
minatio  :  et  Pompeii  Craffique  potentia,  cito  in  Caefarem  ;  Lepi- 
di  atque  Antonii  arma,  in  Auguitum  cefTere  :  qui  cunfta  difcordiis 
ci*/ilibus  feffa,  nomine  principis  fub  imperium  accepit.  Tacit. 
Annal.  Lib.  i.  in  initio. 

(«)  Sigonius  de  Occidentili  Imperio.  Lib.  14,  &c.  Petavii 
Rat.  Temp.  Partis  i.  Lib.  6.  Cap.  18. 

{b)  Sigonius  de  Regno  Ital.  Lib.  i.  Petav.  Rat.  Temp.  Pur.  I. 
Lib.  7,  Cap.  10.  (f)  Sigon.  ibid.  Lib.  3. 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


331 


years;  and  in  comparifon  of  the  papal  power,  which  followed, 
and  hath  now  continued  about  a  thoufand  ycdrs.  But  liiii  pof- 
fibly  you  may  hefitate,  whether  this  is  properly  a  new  f^rm  of 
government,  Rome  being  llill  fubje^t  to  the  imperial  power, 
by  being  fubje6t  to  the  Greek  emperor's  djputv,  the  exarch  of 
Ravenna:  and  according  as  you  determine  this  poiiu,  the  ieajl 
that  was  and  is  not^  was  while  idolatrous,  and  was  not  while 
not  idolatrous,  will  appear  to  be  theftventh  or  eighth.  If  you 
reckon  this  a  new  form  of  government,  [a)  the  beaft  that  now 
is  the  eighth  ;  if  you  do  not  reckon  this  a  new  form  of  govern- 
ment, the  beaft  is  of  the  f even  \  but  whether  he  be  the  feventh 
or  eighth^  he  is  the  laft  form  of  government,  and  goeth  into 
perdition.  It  appears  evidently,  that  the  fixth  form  of  govern- 
ment, which  was  fubfifting  in  St.  John's  time,  is  the  imperial ; 
and  what  form  of  government  hath  fucceeded  to  that  in  Rome, 
and  hath  continued  for  a  long  fpace  of  t'lme^  but  the  papal  ? 
The  beaft  therefore,  upon  which  the  woman  rideth,  is  the  Ro- 
man government  in  its  laft  form:  and  this,  all  muft  acknow- 
ledge, is  the  papal,  and  not  the  imperial. 

Having  explained  the  myftery  of  the  feven  heads,  the  angel 
proceeds  to  the  explanation  of  the  ten  horns.,  (ver.  12,  13,  14.) 
The  ten  horns  are  ten  kings -^  zuho  have  received  no  kingdom  as 
yet :  and  confequently  they  were  not  in  being  at  the  time  of 
the  vifion ;  and  indeed  the  Roman  empire  was  jiot  divided  into 

{a)  Mr.  Mann  explains  the  feventh  and  eighth  otherwife.  Quis 
igitur  rex  feptimus  erit  ?  Nimirum  ipfe  papa.  Nam  ex  quo  A.  L). 
534.  earn  ecclefiarum  omnium  caput  declaiavit  jullinianus,  alii  om- 
nium judicem.  ipfum-  nuUo  judicandum,  tanta  reverentia  et  obfe- 
quio  ab  Impp.  ipfus  cultus  eft,  tanta  authoritate  ipfos  fubinde  re- 
prehendit.  interdum  etiam  anathemate  peculit,  ut  non  minus  di- 
cendus  fit  regnafTe  in  fpiritualibus,  quamvis  fc  fubditum  fcmper 
fervumque  fervorum  diceret,  quam  in  temporalibus  imperatores. 
Tunc  igitur  papa  e  feptem  illis,  id  elt  ex  gcnere  atque  ordine  il- 
lorum  principum  qui  praJcefTerant,  effc  dicendus  erat,  donee 
A.  D.  722  Leonis  imp.  jugum,  quern  anno  fuperiore  cxcommuni- 
carat,  prorfus  excuflit  Gregorius  II.  Romamque  et  regiones  vici- 
nas  fibi  fubjecit.  Ex  illo  enim  tempore  papa  rexoflavus  merito  ha- 
beri  potell,  cum  gladio  fpirituali  temporalem  quoqucdeiiinc  adrp- 
tus.  Scio  efTe,  qui  pulfo  Leona  imp.  negent  Romam  papx  lubjcc- 
tam  fuifle,  fed  a  Pipino  A.  D.  752.  Exarchatum  Ravennx,  &c. 
papae  datum  tantum  cum  aliis  urbibus,  non  ipfam  Romam  ;  fed 
mitii  videntur  non  de  re,  fed  umbra  tantum  certarc.  M.  b. 


332  DISSERTATONS    on 

ten  kingdoms,  till  fome  time  after  it  v/as  become  Chriflian, 
But  they  receive  pozver  as  kings  one  hour  [a)  at  the  iame  time,  or 
for  the  fame  lengthof  time  w/V-6  the  heaji :  It  is  true  in  bo.h  fenfes, 
they  rife  and  fall  together  with  the  beail: :  and  confequently  they 
are  not  to  be  reckoned  before  the  rife  and  eftablirnment  of  the 
beail ;  and  accordingly  when  a  catalogue  was  produced  of  thefe 
ten  kings  or  kingdoms  in  a  dilTertation  upon  Daniel,  they  were 
exhibited  as  they  flood  in  the  eighth  centurv,  which  is  the  time 
of  the  rife  and  eftablifhment  of  the  beaft.  Kingdoms  they 
might  be  before,  but  they  were  not  before  kingdom.s  or  horns 
of  the  beaft,  till  they  embraced  his  religion,  and  fubmitted  to 
his  authority;  and  the  bealt  ftrengthened  them,  as  they  again 
ftrcngthcned  the  beaft.  It  is  upon  the  fevcnth  or  iaft  head  of 
the  beafi:  that  tlie  horns  are  feen  growing  together,  that  is  up- 
on the  K-omian  empire  in  its  feventh  or  laft  form  of  govern- 
ment; and  they  are  not,  like  the  hcads^  fucceilive,  but  contem.- 
porary  kingdoms.  Thcfe.  have  one  rnind^  and  Jhall  give  their 
poiuer  and  Jlrength  unto  the  heajl\  which  is  eafily  underitood 
and  applied  to  the  princes  and  ftates  in  communion  with  the 
church  of  Rome.  However  they  miay  differ  in  other  refpecSts, 
yet  they  agree  in  fubm.itting  implicitly  to  the  authority  of 
the  Roman  church,  and  in  defending  its  rights  and  preroga- 
tives againil  all  oppofers.  But  vvhere  were  ever  ten  kings  or 
kingdoms,  who  were  all  unanimous  in  their  fubmiilions  to  the 
Roman  em.pire,  and  voluntarily  and  of  their  own  accord  con- 
tributed their  power  andjirength^  their  forces  and  riches  to  fup- 
port  and  maintain  it  \  Thefe  Jhall  7nake  war  with  the  Lamh^  and 
the  Lamb  Jhall  overcome  them ;  they  perfecute  the  true  church 
of  Chrift,  but  the  true  church  fhall  prevail  and  triumph  over 
them ;  which  particulars  have  been  fulfilled  in  part  already,  and 
will  be  m.ore  fully  accompliilied  hereafter. 

In  the  former  part  of  this  defcription  (ver.  I.)  the  zvhore  is 
reprefentcd  like  ancient  Babylon,  fitting  upon  many  waters  : 
and  thcfc  waters  arc  here  (ver.  15.)  faid  cxprefsly  to  {b)  ngnify 
peoples^    and  multitudes^  and  nations^  and  tongues.      So  many 

(<ar)  Uno  eodamque  tempore.  Vitring  Malim,  ad  unum  idernque 
tcmpus,  ut  cum  identitate  temporis  durationem  complcdatur. 
Mr.  Mann's  M.  S. 

{b)  Idque  hoc  locum  tanto  magis  oppofite,  quod  ex  populi  rcvcr- 
entia  et  favore  primo  excre\"it  potellas  ilia  papaiis,  et  per  decem 
aut  plura  faccula  populi  Romaui  fuflVagiis  creati  funt  papa,\  Mr. 
Maan's  M.  S. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


333 


words  in  the  plural  number  fitly  denote  the  great  cxtcnfivcnefs 
of  her  power  and  jurii'Jiction  :  and  it  is  a  reinarkable  peculiari- 
ty of  Rome,  different  from  all  other  governments  in  the  world, 
that  her  authority  is  not  limited  to  her  own  iinincdiaCe  fubjedts, 
and  coniined  within  the  bounds  of  her  own  dominions,  but  ex- 
tends over  all  kingdoms  and  countries  profeifing  the  fame  re- 
ligion.    She  herlelf  glories  in  the  litle  of  the  Catholic  church, 
and  exults  in  the  number  of  her  votaries  as  a  certain  proof  of 
the  true  religion.     Cardinal  {a)  Bellarmin's  firft  note  of  the 
true  church  is  the  very  name  of  the  Catholic  church  :  and  his 
fourth  note  is  amplitude^  or  multitude  and  variety  of  believers  \ 
for  the  truly  catholic  church,  fays  he,  ought  not  only  to  com- 
prehend all  ages,  but  likewife  all  places,  all  nations,  all   kinds 
of  men.      But  notwlthilanding  the  general  current  in  her  favor, 
the  tide  fhall  turn  againfther;  and  the  hands  which  helped  to 
raife  her,  fhall   aifo  pull  her  dowii.   (ver.  i6.)    The  ten  horns 
fiall  hate  the  whore ;  that  is  by  a  common  figure  of  tlie  whole 
for  a  part,  fame  of  the  ten  kings,  for  others  xviii.  9..  *'  fhall  be- 
"  wail  her  and  lament  for  her,"  and  (xix.  19.)  (hall  fight  and 
periih  in  the  caufe  of  the  bead.     Some  of  the  kings  who  fjr- 
merly  loved  her,  grown  fenfible  of  her  exorbitant  exactions 
and  oppreflions,  fhall  hate  hcr^  fhall  ftrip,  and  expofe,  and  plun- 
der herj  and  utterly  confume  her  with  fire.     Rome  therefore 
will   finally  be   delfroyed  by  fome  of  the  princes,  who  are  re- 
formed, or  (hall   be  reformed   fi'om  popery:  and  as  the  kings 
of  France  have  contributed  greatly  to  her  ad\ancement,  it  is  not 
impofTible,   nor  improbable,  that  fome  time  or  other  they  may 
alfo  be  the  principal  authors  of  her  deflruclion.     France  hath 
already  fhovvn  fome  tendency  towards  a  reformation,  and  there- 
fore may  appear  more  likely  to  accomplifh  it.     Nay  even  the 
kings  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  their  moft  catholic  Jindi  faithful 
Majeflies  as   they  are  filled,  have  reflrained  the  power  of  the 
Pope,  and  the  inquifition,  and  have  not  only  banilhed  the  Je- 
fuii;s,from  their  reVpectivc  kingdoms,  but  have  likewife  infiibd 
upon  the  fupprefTion   of  that  order,  which  may  be  conlidercd 
as  leading  fieps  to  fome  farther  revolution.      Such  a  revolution 
may    more  reafonably  be  expeaed,    becaufe    (ver.  17.)    this 


(«)  Prima Nota,  eiliprum  Catholica: Kcclefia: cx ChrilVianorum no- 
men.  Bellar.de  Notis  Ecclefias,  Lib.  4.  Cap. 4.  Quaru  Nota,  eft  am- 
plitude, five  multitudo  et  varietas credantium.  Eccicii.i  cnim  vere ca- 
tholica, non  folem  debet  ampleai  omnia  tempera,  fed  ctiam  omni^ 
loca,  omnes  nationes,  omnium  hominum  genera.  loid.  Lap.  7. 


334         DISSERTATIONS    on 

infatuation  of  popifli  princes  is  permitted  by  divine  providence 
only  for  a  certain  period,  until  the  ivords  of  God  Jhall  be  fulfilled^ 
and  particularly  the  words  of  the  prophet  Daniel,  (vii.  25,  26.) 
''  They  fhall  be  given  into  his  hand,  u«til  a  time,  and  times, 
"  and  the  dividing  of  time:  But"  then,  as  it  immediately  fol- 
lows, "  the  judgment  fhall  lit,  and  they  fhall  take  away  his  do- 
"  minion,  to  confume  and  to  dcilroy  it  unto  the  end." 

Little  dcubtcan  remain  after  this,  what  idolatrous  church  was 
meant  h\  the  vj'hore  of  Babylon :  But  for  the  greater  afTurednefs 
ii  is  added  by  the  angel,  (ver.  18.)  The  woman  which  thoufaw- 
eji  is  that  great  city.  The  angel  had  undertaken  to  tell  the  myf- 
tery  of  the  wo?nan^  and  of  the  leaji.  He  hath  explained  the 
myflery  of  the  beafl,  and  of  his  feven  heads  and  ten  horns ;  and 
his  explanation  of  the  myflery  of  the  woman  is  that  great  city^ 
which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth.  And  what  city  at 
the  time  of  ihis  vifion  reigned  over  the  kings  of  the  earthy  but 
Rome  ?  She  hath  too  ever  fmce  reigned  over  the  kings  of  the 
earth.,  if  not  with  temporal,  yet  at  leail  with  fpiritual  authority. 
In  the  arts  of  government  fhe  hath  far  exceeded  all  the  cities 
both  of  ancient  and  of  modern  times  :  as  if  fhe  had  conflantly 
remembered  and  put  in  practice  the  advice  of  the  poet, 

Tu  regere  imperio  populosj  Romane,  memento  ; 

Has  tibi  erunt  artes.  Virgil. 

Rome  therefore  is  evidently  and  undeniably  this  great  clty\  and 
that  Chriflian  and  not  Heathen,  papal  and  not  imperial  Rome 
was  meant,  hath  appeared  in  feveral  inflances,  and  will  appear 
in  feveral  more. 


CHAP.   XVIII. 


I      AND  after  thefe  things  I  faw  another  angel  come 
jT^  down  from  heaven,   having  great  power;  and  the 
eartii  was  lightened  uith  his  glory. 

2  And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  flrong  voice,  faying,  Ba- 
bylon the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habita- 
tion of  d-Lvils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  fpirit,  and  a  cage  of 
every  uncleaii  and  hateful  bird. 


THE    PROPHECIES. 


335 


3  For  all  nations  ha  e  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
her  fornication,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed 
fornication  with  her,  and  the  merchants  of  ihc  earth  are 
waxed  rich  through  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies. 

4  And  I  h^ard  anotncr  voice  from  heaven,  la)in^,  Co-ne 
out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  noi  partakers  of  her  lins, 
and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues. 

5  For  her  fms  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath 
remembered  her  iniquities. 

6  Reward  her  even  as  fhe  rewarded  you,  and  double  unto 
her  double,  according  to  her  works:  in  the  cup  which  flie 
hath  filled,  fill  to  her  do  ible. 

7  How  much  fhe  hath  glorin  d  herf.lf,  and  lived  dclici- 
ouily,  fo  much  forrow  and  Lorment  give  her:  for  Ihe  faith  in 
her  heart,  I  fit  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow,  and  Ihall  fee  no 
forrow. 

8  Therefore  fhall  her  plagues  come  in  one  day,  death, 
and  mourning,  and  famine;  and  (hz  fhall  be  utterly  burnt 
with  fire :  for  flrong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth  her. 

After  this  account  of  the  ftate  and  condition  of  fpiritual  Ba- 
bylon,  there  follows  a  d^fcription  of  her  fail  and  deftruclion, 
in  the  fame  fublime  and  figurative  flile  as  ifnah,  Jeremiah,  and 
Ezekiel  have  foretold  the  fall  of  ancient  Babylon  and  Tvre, 
the  types  and  emblems  of  this  fpiritual  Babvlon.  A  mighty 
and  glorious  angel  defcends  from  heaven,  (ver.  i,  2,  3.)  and 
proclaims,  as  before,  (xiv.  8.)  the  fall  of  Babylon,  and  toge- 
ther with  her  punifhment  the  crimes  which  dcferved  it,  her 
idolatry  and  wickednefs.  It  is  farther  added,  that  after  her 
fall  fhe  fhall  be  made  a  fcene  of  defolation,  and  become  the 
habitation  of  hateful  birds  and  beafts  of  prey:  as  Ifaiah  alfo 
predided  concerning  ancient  Babylon,  (xiii-  21.)  "Wild  beafts 
"  of  the  deftrts  fhall  lie  there,  and  their  houfcs  Ihall  be  full  of 
"  doleful  creatures,  and  owls  fhall'dwell  there,  and  fatyrs  fhall 
"  dance  there:'*  where  the  word  that  we  tranflateyi?^;^^,  the 
Seventy  tranflate  demons  or  devilsy  who  (a)  were  fuppofed 
fometimes  to  take  the  fhape  of  goats  or  fatyrs,  and  to  haunt  for- 
lorn and  defolate  places  :  and  it  is  from  the  tranflation  of  the 
Seventy  that  the  apoftle  hath  borrowed  his  images  and  cxprcf- 


(a)  Vide  Bocharii  Hieroz.  Part,  prior.  L.  2.  C.  55.  Col.  64.5. 


336         D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  N 

fions  But  ifxhh  fall  of  Babylon  was  effected  by  Totilas  king 
of  the  OftrogothS)  as  Grotius  affirms,  or  by  Alaric  king  of  the 
Viligoths,  as  the  Bifhop  of  Meaux  contends,  how  can  Rome  be 
faid  ever  fmce  to  have  been  the  habitation  of  devils^  and  the  hold 
cf  every  foi^lfpirit^  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird^ 
unlefs  they  will  allow  the  popes  and  cardinals  to  merit  chefe  ap- 
pellations ?  • 

Another  voice  is  alfo  heard  from  heaven^  (ver.  4,  5,  6,  7,  8.) 
exhorting  all  Chriftians  to  forfake  the  communion  of  fo  corrupt 
a  church,  left  they  ihould  be  partakers  of  her  fins  and  of  her 
plagues^  and  at  the  fame  time  denouncing  that  her  puniiliment 
ihall  be  great  and  extraordinary  in  proportion  to  her  crimes. 
But  was  there  any  fuch  necefiity  of  forfaking  the  church  of 
Rome  in  the  days  of  Alaric  or  Totilas,  before  flie  had  yet  de- 
generated again  into  idolatry  ?  or  what  were  then  her  notorious 
crimes  deferving  of  fuch  exemplary  punifnment,  unlefs  Rome 
Chriftian  was  tofuffer  for  the  fins  of  Rome  Pagan  ?  She  faith  in 
her  hearty  like  ancient  Babylon,  (xlvii.  7,  8.)  1  fit  a  quecn^  and 
am  no  widow^  and  fo  all  fee  noforrow.  She  glories  like  ancient 
Rome,  in  the  name  (^)  qI the  eternal  city :  but  notwitnftanding 
pe  fh all  be  utterly  burnt  vjith  fire  \  forjlrong  is  the  Lord  God  who 
judgeth  her.  'I'hefe  exprellions  can  imply  no  lefs  than  a  total 
deftru6lion  by  fire ;  but  Rome  hath  never  yet  been  totally  de- 
ftroyed  by  fire.  The  moft  that  {b)  Alaric  and  {c)  Totilas  did, 
was  burning  fome  parts  of  the  city:  but  if  only  fome  parts  of 
the  city  were  burnt,  it  was  not  an  event  important  enough  to 
be  afcribed  to  the  Lord  God  particularly,  and  to  be  coniider- 
ed  as  2.Jirong  exertion  of  his  judgment. 

m  ■         •  .......  ,  < 

[a)  It  is  to  be  found  in  the  very  title  to  Kircher's  Obelifcus 
Pampliilius  :  In  urbis  xternae  ornamentum  erexit  Innocemius  X. 
Pout.  Max.  apud  Daiibuz.  P.  812. 

[a)  Tertia  die  harbari,  quam  ingreffi  fuerant  urbem,  fponte  dif- 
cedunt,  fado  quidem  ali<-]'iantarum  gedium  incendio,  &:c.  Orof. 
Hift.  L.  7.  C.  39.  Edit.  Haveream.  Aiaricus  trepidam  urbem  Re- 
main invafit,  parternque  ejus  cremavit  incendio,  &c.  Marcellini 
Chron.  Indift.  P.  38.  Edit.  Scaiigeri.  Qiiinatiam  jedificia  qua;dam 
incenfa,  aliaque  opera  temcre  fui:ore  barbarico  deturbata  lunt. 
Sigonii  Kill,  de  Occidentali  Imperio  Lib.  10.  in  fine.    ^ 

(c)  Procop.  de  Bell.  Cxoth.  I^.  3.  C.  22,  Pcrro  Totilas  Romam 
nee  delere,  nee  reliiiquere  amplius  volunt.  Ibid.*C.  36.  lb.  L.  4. 
C.  22.  Totilas  dolo  Ifaurorum  ingreditur  Romam  die  xvi.  Kal. 
Jan.  ac  evertit  muros,  domes  aliquantas  igni  comburens,  c\:c. 
Marcellini  Chron.  P.  54,  ibid.  Sjgoniu?,  ib.  L.  19. 


THE     PROPHECIES, 


337 


b> 


9  And  the  kings  of  the  carLh,  who  have  committed  for- 
lucation,  and  lived  delicioiiny  with  her,  Ihall  brwail  her, 
and  lament  for  her,  when  they  fliall  fee  the  fmoke  of  her 
burning. 

10  Standing  afar  off  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  faying 
Alas,  alas,  the  great  city  Babylon,  the  mighty  city  !  foi 
in  one  hour  is  thy  judgment  come. 

H  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  fhall  weep  and 
mourn  over  her,  for  no  man  buyeth  her  merchandife  any 
more : 

12  The  merchandife  of  gold  and  filver,  and  precious 
flones,  and  of  pearls,  and  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and 
filk,  and  fcarlet,  and  all  thyine  wood,  and  all  manner  vcf- 
fels  of  ivory,  and  all  manner  veflcls  of  molt  precious  wood, 
and  of  brafs,  and  iron,  and  marble. 

13  And  cinnamon,  and  odours,  and  ointments,  and 
frankincenfe,  and  wine,  and  oil,  and  fine  flour,  and  wheat, 
and  beafts,  and  fheep,  and  horfes,  and  cluriots,  ajid  flaves, 
and  fouls  of  men. 

14.  And  the  fruits  that  thy  foul  lulled  after,  are  depart- 
ed from  thee,  and  all  things  which  were  dainty  and  goodly, 
are  departed  from  thee,  and  thou  ihalt  find  them  no  more 
at  all. 

15  The  merchants  of  thefe  things  which  were  made 
rich  by  her,  fhall  ftand  afar  ofF,  for  the  fear  of  her  tor- 
ment, weeping  and  wailing, 

16  And  faying,  Alas,  alas,  that  great  city,  that  was 
cloathed  in  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  fcarlet,  and  deck- 
ed with  gold  and  precious  flones,  and  pearls  !  tor  in  one 
hour  fo  great  riches  is  come  to  nought. 

17  And  every  fhip-mafler,  and  all  the  company  in 
ftiips,  and  failers,  and  as  many  as  trade  by  fca,  flood  afar 
off. 

18  And  cried  when  they  faw  the  fmoke  of  her  burn- 
ing, faying,  What  city  is  like  unto  this  great  city  ? 

19  And  they  cafl  dull  on  their  heads,  and  cried  weep- 
ing and  wailing,  faying,  Alas,  alas,  that  great  city  where- 
in were  made  rich  all  that  had  (hips  in  the  fea,  by  reafon  of 
her  cofllinefs  I   for  in  one  hour  is  fhe  made  dcfolatj. 

20  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  )'e  holy  apoflies 
and  prophets,  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her. 

Vol    II.  U  u 


338        DISSERTATIONS    on 

In  this  folemn  manner,  by  an  angel  and  by  a  voice  from 
heaven,  is  declared  the  fall  of  Rome,  and  her  deftrudion  by 
fire :  and  then  are  fet  forth  the  confequences  of  her  fall,  the 
lamentaiions  of  fome  and  the  rejoicings  of  others.     The  kings 
of  her  communion,  ivho  have  conmiittcd  fornication^  and  lived 
delicioujiy  with  her^  bewail  and  lament  for  her^  (ver.  9,  10.) 
but  what  kings  were  they  who  lived  delicioufly  wich  old  Rome, 
and  had  reafon  to  lament  her  fall  ?      The  7ncrLhants  of  the  earth 
iveep  and  mourn  over  her^  (ver.  11 — J7.);  for  there  is  an  end 
of  all  traffic  and  commerce  with  her,  whether  fpi ritual  or  tem- 
poialj  for  it  is  intimated  (ver.  13.)   that  they  make  merchan- 
dife  of  iht  fouls  as  well   as  of  the  bodies  of  men.      The  Jhip 
waJUrs^  and  failers^  and  as  ?nany  as  trade  byfea^  weep  and  waily 
(ver.  17,  18,  19.)  J  for  they  can  now  no  longer  import  or  ex- 
port comn^oditics  for  her,  or  convey  Grangers  to  and  fro;  for 
there*is  an  end  of  all  her  cojilinefs.     Thefe  lamentations  are 
copied  from  the  like  lamentations  over  Tyre  in  the  26th  and 
27th  chapters  of  Ezekiel ;  and  are  equal  to  the  moft  mournful 
ft  rains  of  the  Greek  tragedians  over  Thebes  or  Troy.     In  all 
th^yjiand  afar  off^  (ver.  10,  15,  17.)  as  if  they  were  unable  or 
afraid  to  help  and  affift  her.     In  ail  they  cry,  alas^  alas^  (ver. 
10,  16,  19.)  which  is  the  third  woe  before  mentioned,  (viii.  13. 
xi.    14.) ;  for  as  the  fall  of  the  Othman  empire  is  the  end  of  the 
fecondwoe^  fo  the  fall  of  Rome  is  the  completion  of  the  third 
woe.     In  all  they  lament  the  fuddennefs  of  her  fall,  (ver.  10, 
17,  19.) ;  for  in  one  hour  is  her  deftru6tion  come.     At  the  fame 
time  her  deftrud:ion  is  matter  of  joy  and  triumph,  (ver.  20.)  to 
the  holy  apojlles  and  prophets^  for  God  hath  avenged  them  on  her : 
but  what  reafon  had  the  Chnftians  to  rejoice  over  the  calami- 
ties brought  on   Rome  by  Alaric  or  Totilas,  in  which  they 
themfelves  w^xc^  the  principal  fufFerers  ?  and  how  were  thefe 
calamities  any  vindication  of  their  caufe,  or  of  the  caufe  of  true 
religion? 

21  And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  ftone  like  a  great  mil- 
ftone,  and  caft  it  into  the  fea,  faying,  Thus  with  violence 
fhall  that  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown  down,  and  fhall  be 
found  no  more  at  all. 

22  And  the  voice  of  harpers,  and  muficians,  and  of  pipers, 
and  trumpeters,  fhall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee  :  and  no 
craftfman,  of  whatfoever  craft  he  be^  (hall  be  found  any  more 
in  thee;  and  the  found  of  a  milltone  ihall  be  heard  np  more 
at  all  in  thee  : 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


339 


23  And  the  light  of  a  candle  fhall  Ihinc  no  more  at  all  in 
thee  J  and  the  voice  of  the  bndcgrooni  and  of  the  bride  lh::Jl 
be  heard  no  more  at  ail  in  thee  :  for  thy  merchams  were  Lhe 
great  men  of  the  earth  ;  for  by  thy  forceries  were  idl  nations 
deceived : 

24  And  in  her  vi^as  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of 
faints,  and  of  all  that  were  flain  upon  the  earth. 

Yet  further  to. confirm  the  fudden  fall  and  irrecoverable  dc- 
flru6lion  of  Rome,  an  emblem  is  copied  and  improved  from 
Jeremiah,  (li.  63,  64.)  a  mighty  angel,  (ver.  21.)  cajhth  a  miU 
jhne  into  the  fea,  declaring  that  with  the  fame  violence  this  great 
city  frail  be  throzun  down,  and  fhall  never  iife  again.  Her  utter 
defolation  is  farther  defcribed  (ver.  22,  23.)  in  phrafes  and  ex- 
preffions  borrowed  from  the  ancient  prophets,  (if.  xxiv.  8.) 
Jcr.  vii.  34.  xvi.  9.  xxv.  10.  Ezek.  xxvi.  13.)  I'her.  fhali  be 
no  more  inuficians  for  the  entertainmenc  of  the  rich  and  (^-reat; 
no  more  tradefmen  or  artificers  to  furnifh  the  conveniencies  of 
life;  no  mor^fervants  ox  flaves  to  grind  at  the  mill,  and  I'upply 
the  neceflaries  of  life.  Nay,  there  ihall  be  no  more  lights,  no 
more  bridal fiongs  ;  the  city  ihall  never  be  peopled  again  by  new 
marriages,  but  fhall  remain  depopulated  for  ever.  For  v/hich 
utter  defolation  there  are  a/ligned  thefj  reafons,  (ver.  23,  24.) 
her  pride  and  luxury,  htr  fuperjfition  and  idolatry,  her  tyranny 
and  cruelty.  Her  puniihnicnt  ihall  be  as  fevere  and  exemplary, 
as  if  fhe  had  been  guilty  of  all  the  perfecutions  that  ever  were 
upon  account  of  religion  ;  for  by  her  conduct  ihe  hath  approved, 
and  imitated,  and  furpalled  them  all.  But  Rome  hat'i  n-'ver 
yet  been  depopulated  and  defolated  in  this  manner.  She  hath 
been  taken  indeed  and  plundered  {a)  by  Alaric  king  of  the  Vi- 
figoths  in  the  year  four  hundred  and  ten,  by  Genftric  king  of 
the  Vandals  in  the  year  four  hundred  and  hrty-five,  bv'Fotilas 
king  of  the  Oftrogoths  in  the  year  five  bundled  and  forty-iix, 
and  by  others  fince  that  time  :  but  yet  ihe  is  Hill  iiaivding  and 
flourifliing,  and  is  honoured  by  many  nations  as  the  metropolis 
of  the  Chriilian  v/orld;  fhe  (lill  refounds  vir\\\\  fingers  and  mu- 
ficians',  fhe  ftill  excels  in  arts  which  ferve  to  pomp  and  luxury; 
Ihe  ftill  abounds  with  candles,  and  lamps,  and  torches,  burning 
even  by  day  as  well  as  by  night :  and  confeipiently  this  prophe- 
cy hath  not  yet  been,  but  remains  yet  to  befuliillcd. 


(rt)  See  Petav.  Rat.  Temp,  and  Blair's  Chron.  Table; 


3+0        DISSERTATIONS    on 


CHAP.     XIX, 


I      AND  after    thefe  things  I  heard  a  great  voice  of 
j^'j^  much  people  in  heaven,  fayine:,  Alleluia:   Sal- 
vation, and  glory,  and  honour,  and  power  unto  the  Lord 
our  God. 

2  For  true  and  righteous  are  his  judgments ;  for  he  hath 
judged  the  great  whore,  which  did  corrupt  the  earth  with 
her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his  fervants 
at  her  hand. 

3  And  again  they  faid  Alleluia.  And  her  fmoke  rofe 
up  for  ever  and  ever. 

4  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  and  the  four  beafts 
fell  down  and  worfhipped  God  that  fat  upon  the  throne, 
faying.  Amen;  Alleluia. 

5  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  faying,  Praife 
our  God,  all  ye  his  fervants,  and  }e  that  fear  him,  both 
fmall  and  great. 

6  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude, 
and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mightv 
thunderings,  faying,  Alleluia  :  for  the  Lord  God  omnipo- 
tent reigneth. 

7  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honour  to  him  : 
for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath 
made  herfelf  ready. 

8  And  to  her  was  granted,  that  fhe  fhould  be  arrayed 
in  fine  linen,  clean,  and  white :  for  the  fine  linen  is  the 
righteoufnefs  of  faints. 

9  And  he  faith  unto  me.  Write,  BlefTed  are  they  which 
are  called  unto  the  marriage-fupper  of  the  Lamb.  And  he 
faith  unto  me,  7'hefe  are  the  true  fayings  of  God. 

10  And  I  fell  at  his  feet  to  vv^orfhip  him:  And  he 
faid  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not:  I  am  thy  fellow-fer- 
vant,  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  teftimony  of  Je- 
fus  ;  worfhip  God  :  for  the  teftimony  of  Jefus  is  the  fpirit 
of  prophecy. 

Hereupon  the  whole  church,  (ver.  i — 4.)  agreeable  to  the 
exhortation  of  the  angel,  (xviii.  20.)  join  praifes  and  thankf- 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


341 


glvings  to  almighty  God  for  hi^  truth  and  ri^hteoi/f/iffs  in  judj^c- 
ing  this  idolatrous  city,  his  truth  in  fullilling  his  proinilc  and 
threatnings,  and  his  rightecufncfs  in  proporiioning  her  punifh- 
mcnt  to  her  crimes.  And  her  j moke  roj'c  up  for  ever  and  ever  j 
which  intimates  that  flie  fhould  be  made  as  lignal  a  nit)nunicnt 
of  divine  vengeance  as  Sodom  and  Gon»orrah.  It  is  taken  from 
Ifaiah,  who  hath  laid  much  the  fame  of  l^dotn,  and  by  EJom  [a) 
the  Jews  underftanl  Rome.  (If  xxxiv.  9,  10.)  Andthejlreams 
thereof  jhall  he  turned  into  pitch  \  in  the  genuine  (/»)  editions  of 
the  Chaldee  paraphrafe  it  is,  And  rivers  of  Rome  /hall  he  turn- 
ed into  pitchy  and  the  dufi  thereof  into  hrimftone^  and  the  land 
thereof  Jhall  become  burning  pitch.  It  Jhall  not  be  quenched  night 
nor  day -^  the  f moke  thereof  Jhall  go  up  J'or  ever.  This  tradition  of 
the  rabbins  may  receive  fome  confirmation  from  thefc  words  of 
the  apoftle :  and  fuch  an  event  may  appear  the  more  probable, 
becaufe  the  adjacent  countries  are  known  to  be  of  a  fulphurious 
and  bituminous  foil  j  there  have  even  at  Rome  been  [c)  erup- 
tions of  fubterraneous  fire,  which  have  confumcd  feveral  build- 
ing ;  fo  that  the  fuel  feemeth  to  be  prepared,  and  waiteth  only 
for  the  breath  of  the  Lord  to  kindle  it.  But  God  is  praifi^d  not 
only  for  the  deilruction  of  the  greatfeat  of  idolatrv,  but  aH'o(ver. 
5 — 8.)  for  the  mahift'ftation  of  his  kingdom,  as  before,  (xi.  17.) 
and  for  the  happy  and  glorious  ftate  of  the  reformed  Chrilban 
church.  She  is  no  harlot  tainted  with  idolatry,  but  7i  fpoi/Je 
prepared  for  her  Lord  Chrift:  fhs  is  not  arrayed  like  an  har- 
lot in  purple  and fcarlct  colour^  but  like  a  decent  bride,  in  fne 
linen^  clean^  and  uuhite^  as  the  properell  emblem  of  her  purity 
and  fan6lity.  Chrift  hath  now,  as  St.  Paul  exprefleth  it, 
Eph.  V.  26,  27.  "  fancftified  and  cleanfed  his  church  with  the 
"  wafhiiig  of  water,  by  the  word.  That  he  might  prcfent  it  to 
"  himfelf  a  glorious  church,  not  having  Tpot  or  wrinkle  or  any 
"  fuch  thing,  but  that  it  fhould  be  holy,  and  without  blemilh." 
So  great  is  the  felicity  of  this  period,  that  the  angel  orders  it 


{a)  R.  David  in  principio  Obada?,  Quod  autem  dicunt  prophctx 
devailatione  Edom  in  extrcmitate  dierum,  de  Roma  dixcraiu. 
Buxtorf.  Chald.  Lex.  in  voce. 

{b)  Et  convertentur  fiumina  Roms  in  picem.  Sec.  Pollcriorcs 
editiones  vocern  Romoc  omiferant.     Buxtorf.  Ibid. 

(0  Vide  Dionis.  Hift.  Lib.  66.  in  Tito.  Ignis  autcm  alius  fu- 
pra  terrain  exortus  anno  infequenti  magnam  admodum  Romx  p.ir- 
tem  abfumfit,  &c.  P.  756.  Edit.  Leunclav. 


34a         DISSERTATIONS    ON 

(ver.  9)  to  be  particular!?  noted:  and  blefled  and  happy  arc 
they  who  fnali  be  living  at  this  time,  and  be  worthy  to  partake 
of  this  marriage  feaft.  It  is  a  matter  of  confolation  to  all  good 
Chriftians,  and  they  may  afTaredly  depend  upon  it,  as  the  nevcr- 
faiiing  word  of  God.  St.  John  was  in  fuch  rapture  and  extafy 
at  thefe  difcoveries,  that  (ve  .  ic.)  not  knowing  or  not  con- 
iidering  what  he  did,  he  fell  dozvn  at  the  angel's  feet  to  tvorjkip 
him :  but  the  angel  prohibits  all  manner  of  worfhip,  for  he 
was  no  more  than  a  felloiv  fervant  of  the  apoftle\«;  and  of  aJl 
true  prophets,  of  all  who  have  the  tejlimony  of  Jefus^  and  the 
tejihnony  of  Jefus  is  the  fpirit  of  prophecy.  Worlhip  not  me 
then,  f^ys  the  angel,  but  Gor/,  whofe  fervants  we  both  are, 
and  who  infpires  us  both  with  the  fame  fpirit  of  prophecy. 

11  And  I  faw  heaven  opened,  and  behold  a  white 
horfe ;  and  he  that  fat  upon  him  was  called  faithful  and 
true,  and  in  righteoufnefs  he  doth  judge  and  make  war. 

12  His  eyes  ivere  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  on  his  head 
were  many  crowns ;  and  he  had  a  name  written  that  no 
man  knew  hut  he  himfelf : 

13  And  he  was  clothed  with  a  vefture  dipt  in  blood: 
and  his  name  is  called.  The  Word  of  God. 

14  And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed 
him  upon  white  horfes,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and 
clean. 

15  And  out  of  his  mouth  gocth  a  fharp  fword,  that 
with  it  he  fhould  fmite  the  nations:  and  he  fliall  rule 
them  with  a  rod  of  iron:  and  he  treadeth  the  wine-prefs 
of  the  fiercenefs  and  wrath  of  almighty  God. 

16  And  he  hath  pn  his  veflure  and  on  his  thigh  a 
name  written,  KING  OF  KINGS,  AND  LORD  OF 
LORDS. 

17  And  I  faw  an  angel  {landing  in  the  fun;  and  he 
cried  with  a  loud  voice,  faying  to  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in 
the  midft  of  heaven,  Come  and  gather  yourfelves  together 
unto  the  fupper  of  the  great  God  ; 

18  That  ye  may  eat  of  the  flefh  of  kings,  and  the  flefh 
of  captains,  and  the  fiefh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flefh 
of  horfes,  and  of  tliem  that  fit  on  them,  and  the  flefli  of 
all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  both  fmall  and  great. 

19  And  I  faw  the  bcaft,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth, 
and  their  armies  gathered  together,  to  make  war  againft 
him  that  fat  on  the  horfe,  and  againft  his  armv. 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


343 


20  And  the  bead  was  taken,  and  with  him  the  fahe 
prophet  that  wrought  miracles  before  him,  with  which  lie 
deceivfid  them  that  had  received  the  mark  of  the  beait, 
and  them  that  worihippcd  his  image.  Thefe  both  were 
cait  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brmiUonc. 

21  And  the  remnant  were  flain  with  the  fword  *)f  hini 
that  fat  upon  the  horfc,  which  fword  proceeded  out  of 
his  mouth  ;  and  all  the  fowls  were  tiilcd  with  their  fleih. 

'  It  was  (aid  by  the  angel,  fpeaking  of  the  kings  fubjecl  to  the 
bead,  x  ii  14.  "  Thefe  Ihail  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the 
"  Lamb  Ihall  overcome  them :  for  he  is  Lord  of  lords,  and 
"  King  of  kings  ;  and  they  that  are  wiih  him,  are  called,  and 
"  chofen,  and  faithful:"  And  this  vifion  (ver.  il — 21.)  is 
added  by  way  of  inlargement  and  explanation  of  that  great 
event.  ~  Heaven  is  opened,  and  our  Saviour  cometh  forth  riding 
upon  a  white  borfe,  as  a  token  of  his  vi  .rory  and  triumph  over 
his  enemies.  He  is  defcribed  in  fuch  characters  as  are  appro- 
priated to  him  in  this  book,  and  in  the  ancient  prophets.  On 
his  head  alfo  were  many  crowns,  to  denote  his  numerous  con- 
queds  and  kingdoms  which  were  now,  xi.  25.  "  become  the 
"  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Chrift,  and  he  ftiall  reigii 
"  for  ever  and  ever.'*  As  the  Jewifh  high-prieft  wore  the 
ineffable  name  of  Jehovah  on  his  forehead,  {o  he  had  a  name 
written,  which  none  could  perfe<5lly  comprehend  but  himfelf ; 
His  na?ne  is  called  The  Word  of  God.  He  had  likcwife  another 
name  written  on  that  part  of  his  vefture  which  covered  his 
thigh,  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords ;  a  title  much  affected 
by  the  [a)  ealtern  monarchs,  and  bv  Antichrift  himfelf.  The 
Pope  is  [b)  ftiled  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords-,  but  what 
he  is  only  in  pretence,  Chrift  is  in  reality.  His  armies  are 
mounted  upon  white  horfes  as  well  as  himfelf,  and  are  clothed 
in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean,  as  emblems  of  their  vitStory  and 
fandtity.  An  angel  ftanding  in  the  fun,  and  fo  confpicuous  to 
all,  in  lofty  flrains  copied  from  the  ancient  prophets,  and  par- 
ticularly from  Ezekiel,  xxxix.  17,  18.  caileth  the  fowls  to  the 

{a)  "Artaxerxes  king  of  kings."  Ezra  vii.  i2.Rcx  regumSapor. 
Amm.MarccU.  Lib.  17.  Cap.  5.  P.  163.  Edit.  Valefii.  Paris  1681. 
Kex  regum,  et  domines  dominorum  Sefoofis,  vel  Sefoftris.  Died. 
Sic.  Lib.  I  ■  P.  35 .  Edit  Steph.  P.  5  i .  Edit.  Rodomani. 

{b)  See  Jewel's  Defence  of  his  apology.  Part  5.  And  Barrow  s 
Introduction  to  his  Treatife  of  the  Pope's  Supremacy. 


344  DISSERTATIONS     on 

great  flaughter  of  Chrift's  enemies.  Thefe  enemies  are  the 
beaji  and  the  faife  prophet^  the  Antichriftian  powers  civil  and 
eceleiiaftical,  wiih  their  ar7mes  gathered  together^  their  adher- 
ents and  followers  combined  and  determined  to  fupport  idola- 
try, and  oppofe  all  reformation.  But  the  principals,  as  deferv- 
ing  of  the  greateft  puniihment,  are  taken^  and  caji  alive  into  a 
lake  of  fire  burning  zvith  hrimjlone  :  and  their  followers  ^rejlain 
.with  the  word  of  Chrift,  the  fivord  which  proceeded  out  of  his 
mouth -y  and  all  the  fowls  are  filled  zvith  their  Jiejh  ;  their  fub- 
ftance  is  feized  for  other  perfons,  and  for  oiher  ufes.  In  a 
word,  the  defign  of  this  fublime  and  figurative  defcription  is 
to  fliow  the  dovvnfal  of  popery,  and  the  triumph  of  Chriftiani- 
ty :  the  true  word  of  God  v/ill  prevail  over  fuperftition  and 
idolatry;  and  the  powers  of  Andchrill  (hall  be  completely  fub- 
dued;  and  the  religion  of  Rome,  as  well  as  Rome  herfelf,  be 
totally  deftroyed. 


CHAP.    XX. 


I      A    N  D  I  faw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven, 
Xjl.  having,    the  key    of  the  bottomlefs  pit,   and  a 
great  chain  in  his  hand, 

2  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon  that  old  ferpent, 
which  is  the  Devil  and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a  thou- 
fand  years. 

3  And  caft  him  into  the  bottomlefs  pit,  and  fliut  him 
up,  and  fct  a  feal  upon  him,  that  he  fhould  deceive  the 
nations  no  more,  till  the  thoufand  years  (liould  be  fulfil- 
led :  and  after  that  he  muft  be  loofed  a  little  feafon. 

4  And  I  faw  thrones,  and  they  fat  upon  them,  and 
judgment  was  given  unto  them:  and  I  faw  the  fouls  of 
them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witnefs  of  Jefus,  and  for 
the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worfhipped  the 
beaft,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  his  mark 
upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands  ;  and  they  lived 
and  reigned  with  Chrift  a  thoufand  years. 

5  But  the  reft  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the 
thoufand  years  were  finiflicd.  This  is  the  firfl  refurrec- 
tion. 


THE    P  R  O  P  n  E  C  1  i:  S.  345 

6  Blefl'cd  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  lirft  rcfur- 
reclion  :  on  fuch  the  fecond  death  liath  no  power,  hut  they 
fhall  be  priefts  of  God,  and  of  Chrift,  and  ihall  reign 
with  him  a  thouiand  years. 

After  the  dcftruiSlion  of  the  bcafi:  and  of  the  falfc  prophet, 
there  ft  ill  remains  tbe  dragon,  who  had  delegated  his  power  to 
them,  that  old  ferpent  which  is  the  Devil  and  Satan  :  but  he  is 
bound  by  an  angel,  an  efpecial  minifter  of  providence;  and 
the  famous  millennium  commences,  or  the  reign  of  the  faints 
upon  earth  for  a  thouiand  years,  (ver.  i — 6.)  Binding  him 
tvith  a  great  chain,  cajling  hi?n  into  the  hottomlcfs  pit,  Jhutting 
him  up,  and jealing  a  feal  upon  him,  are  ftrong  figures  to  fhow 
the  fl:ri£l  and  fevere  reftraint  which  he  iliould  be  laid  under, 
that  he  ?night  deceive  the  nations  no  more  during  this  whole  pe- 
riod. Wickednefs  being  reftrained,  the  reiini  of  r^hteoufncfs 
fucceeds,  and  the  adminiftration  of  juftice  and  judgment  is  gi- 
*  ven  to  the  faints  of  the  moft  High  :  and  the  martyrs  and  con- 
feflbrs  of  Jefus,  not  only  thofe  who  were  beheaded  or  fuftered 
any  kind  of  death  under  the  heathen  emperors,  but  alfo  thofe 
who  refufed  tocomply  witli  the  idolatrous  worfhip  of  the  beajl 
and  of  his  image,  are  raifed  from  the  dead,  and  have  the  princi- 
pal mare  in  the  felicities  of  Chrift's  kingdom  upon  earth.  But 
the  rejf  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the  thoufand years  were 
finijhed\  fo  that  it  was  a  peculiar  prerogative  of  the  martyrs 
and  confeffors  above  the  reft  of  mankind.  This  is  the  frji  ;v- 
JurreSiion,  a  particular  refurre(Sfion  preceding  the  general  one 
at  leaft  a  thoufand  years.  Bleffed  and  holy  too  is  he  who  hath 
part  in  the  firji  refurreBion  ;  he  is  holy  in  all  the  fenfes  of  the 
word,  holy  as  feparated  from  the  common  lot  of  mankind,  holy 
as  indowed  with  all  virtuous  qualifications,  and  none  but  fuch 
are  permitted  to  partake  of  this  blefled  ftate.  On  fuch  the  fc^ 
cond  death  hath  no  power.  The  fecond  death  is  a  Jewifti  phrale 
for  the  puniftiment  of  the  wicked  after  death.  So  the  (a) 
Chaldee  paraphrafe  of  Onkelos  upon  that  text  in  Deuteronomy 
xxxiii.  6.  "  Let  Reuben  live,  and  not  die,"  hath  Let  him  not 
die  the  fecond  death  ;  and  the  other  paraphrafes  of  Jojiathaii 
Ben  Uziel  and  of  Jerufalem   have   Let  him  not  die  the  fecond 

Vol.  II.  X  X 


(^)  Non  moriatur  morte  fecunda,  Onk.  Nee  monatiu-  nioric 
qua  morientur  inprobi  in  future  feculo.  Jonath.  Neque  moriatui 
morte  fecunda  qua  moriuntur  improbi  in  future  leculo.     Uicrol. 


346        DISSERTATIONS    on 

death  by  tvhlch  the  wicked  die  in  the  world  to  come.  It  is^a  fami- 
liar piiruie  111  Lii^;  ChaiJee  paraphrafes  and  Jewilh  v/ritings,  and 
in  ti)is  very  book  (x.\.  14.  xxi.  8.)  it  is  declared  to  be  the  fame 
as  the  Luka  burning  with  fire  and  briwjione.  The  fons  of  the 
refurreclion  therefore  liiaii  not  die  again,  but  fhall  live  in 
eternai  blifs,  as  well  as  e.ijoy  all  the  glory  of  the  millennium, 
be  priejis  of  God  and  of  Chrijl^  and  reign  with  him  a  thoufand 
yean. 

Nothing  is  more  evident  than  that  this  prophecy  of  the  mil- 
lennium, and  of  the  hrlt  refuri"e6i:ion,  hath  not  vet  been  fallill^ 
ed,  even  though  the  refurrecSlion  be  taken  in  a  figurative  {QWi^, 
For  reckon  the  thoufand   years  with   Ufiier  from  the   time  of 
Chrift,  or  reckon  them  with  Grotius  from,  the  tim.e  of  Conflan- 
tiae,  vet  neither  of  thefe  periods,  nor  indeed  any  other,  v/ill  an- 
fwer  the  defcription  and  character  of  the  millennium,  the  purity 
and  peace^  the  holinefs  and  happinefs  cf  that  blelTed  flate.     Be- 
fore Conllantine   indeed  the  church  v/as  in  greater  purity,  but, 
was  groaning  under  the  perfecutions  of  the  heathen  emperors. 
After  Conftantine  the  church  was  in  greater  profperity,  but  was 
foon  fhaken  and  difturbed  by  herefies  and  chifms,  by  the  in- 
curfions  und  devaftations  of  the  northern  nations,  by  the  con- 
<juering  arms  and  prevailing  impoflure  of  the  Saracens,  and  af- 
terwards of  the  Turks,  bv  the  corruption,  idolatry,  and  wick- 
ednefs,  the    ufurpation,  tyranny,  and  cruelty  of  the  church   of 
Jlome.     If  Satan  was   then  bound  when   can  he  be  faid  to  be 
loofed?  Or  how  could  the  faints  and  the  heajj^  Chrift  and  An- 
tichrift,  reign  at  the  fame  period  ?   This    prophecy   therefore 
remains  yet  to   be  fulfilled,  even  though  the  refurrecftion  be 
taken  only  for  an  allegory,  which  yet   the   text  cannot  admit 
without  the  greateft  torture  and  violence.     For  with  what  pro- 
priety can  it  be  faid,  that  fome  of  the  dead  ivho  vjere  beheaded 
JiiJed  and  reigned  zuith  Chrifi  a  thoufand years^  but  the  rejl  of  the 
dead  U'-oed  not  again  until  the  thoufand  years  zuere  finifhed^  unlefs 
the  dying  and  living  again  be  the  fame  in  both  places,  a  proper 
death  and  refinrefiion  ?  Indeed   the  death  and  refur region  of 
the  witnelTes  before  micntioned.  Chap.  xi.  appears  from  the  con- 
current circumftances  of  the   vifion  to  be  figurative,  but  the 
death  and  refurre5tion  here  mentioned  muft   for  the  very  fame 
reafons  be  concluded  to  be  real.     If  the  martyrs  rife  only  in  a 
fpiritual   fenfe,  then  the  rcfl  of  the  dead  rife  only   in  a  fpiritual 
fenfe  ;  but  if  the  reft  of  the  dead  rcaWy  rife,  the  martyrs  rife  in 
the  fame  manner,     'fherQ  is  no  difference  between  them  i  and 


T  H  £     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S  347 

we  fhould  be  cautious  and  tender  of  making  the  firft  rcfiiricc- 
tion  an  allegory,  left  oihers  (liouW  reduce  tlie  I'econd  into  aa 
allegory  too,  like  thofe  whom  St.  Paul  mentions^  2  Tim.  ii.  17. 
18.  "  Hymcneus  and  Philctus,  who  concerning  tht  truth  h,a\e 
*'  erred,  faying  hat  the  rcfurrection  is  pall  already,  and  over- 
"  throw  the  faith  of  fome."  It  is  to  this  fuit  rcfarndli.Mi  that 
St.  Paul  alludes,  when  he  afHrnis,  i  Thef.  i\.  16.  that  ^' the 
^^  dead  in  Chrift  fhail  rife  hril,"  and  i  Cor.  xv.  23,  tliat  "cvc- 
"  ry  man  (hall  be  made  alive  in  his  own  order,  Chrift  the  firft 
"  fruits,  afterward  they  that  are  Chrift's  at  his  coming,  ^nd 
"  then  cometh  the  end,"  after  the  general  refurrcvStfon. 

In  the  general  that  there  fliall  be  fuch  a  happy  period  as  the 
millennium,  that  "the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  thegrcat- 
"  nefs  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  hca\en,  iliall  be  given 
«  to  the  people  of  the  faints  of  the  moft  High."     Dan.  vii.  27. 
that  Chrift  ftiall  have  "  the  heathen   for   liis   inheritance,  and 
"  the  uttermoft  parts  of  (he  earth  for  his  pofieflion,"  Pfal.  ii.  8. 
that  "  the  earth  fhall   be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as 
"  the  waters  cover  the  fea,"  If  xi.  9.  "thai  thefulnef>  of  the 
«  Gentiles  ftiall   come  in,  and  all  HVael  fliall  be  faved,"  Rom. 
xi.  25,  26.  in  a  word  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (hall  be  cfta- 
bliftied  upon  earth,  is  the  plain  and  exprefs  docllrineof  l^aniel 
and  all  the  prophets  as  well  as  of  St.  John:  and  we  daily  pray 
for  the  accomplifhment  of  it  in   praying    Thy  kingdom  come. 
But  of  all  the  prophets  St.  John  is  the  only  one  who  hath  de- 
clared particularly  and  in  exprefs  term.s,  that  the  martyrs   (hall 
rife  to  partake  of  the  felicities  of  this  kingdom,  and  that  it  (liall 
continue  upon  earth  a  thoufand  years:  and  the  Jewifh  church 
before  him,  and  the  Chriftian  church  after  him,  have  farther 
believed  and  taught,  that  thefe  thoufand  years  will  be  the  feventh 
miilennary  of    the  world.     A   pompous   heap   of    quotations 
might  be  produced  to  this  purpofe  both  from  JewiOi  and  Chrif- 
tian writers  :  but  I  chufe  to   felecl  only  a  few  of  the  moft  ma- 
terial of  each  fort;  you  may  fmd  a  great  number  {n)   m  Dr. 
Burnet  and  other  authors  who  have  treated  of  this  fubjetfl. 

Of  the  Jewifti  writers  {b)  Rabbi  Ketina,  as  cited  in  the 
Gemara  or  glofs  of  their  Talmud,  faith  that  « the  world  endures 
«  fix   thoufand  years,  and  one  thoufand  it  fliall  be  laid  wafte, 

{a)  Burnet's  Theory.  B.  3.  Ch.  5.  B.  4.  Ch.  6.  Mcdc  Pl.icita 
Doaorum  Hebrsorum  de  Magno  die  Judicn.  ?.  SVi-  ^-  5-  ^"-  3- 


F.  892,   &c.  Sec. 
uno 


09Z,    CiC.  ccc. 

{b)  Dixit  Rabbi  Ketina,  Sex  annorum  millibus  ftat  mundus,  et 
o  (millenario)  vaftabitur ;  de   quo  dicitur,  lU  cxalubilur  Do- 


348         DISSERTATIONS    on 

"  ^that  is  the  enemies  of  God  fliall  be  deftroyed)  whereof  it  h 
"  faid,  li'.  ii.  ii.  "  The  Lord  alone  fhall  be  exalted  inthat  day." 
Tradition  aiTents  to  Rabbi  Ketina :  As  out  of  "  feven  years 
"  every  feventh  is  the  year  of  remiffion,  fo  out  of  the  feven 
"  thoLifand  years  of  the  world  the  feventh  millennary  fhall  be 
'•  the  millennary  of  remiilion,  that  God  alone  may  he  exalted  in 
"  that  day.^^  It  was  [a)  the  tradition  of  the  houfe  of  Elias,  who 
lived  two  hundred  years  or  thereabouts  before  Chrifl:,  and  the 
tradition  might  perhaps  be  derived  from  Elias  the  Tifhbite,  that 
"  the  world,  endures  fix  thoufand  years,  two  thoufand  before 
"  the  Law,  two  thoufand  under  the  Law,  and  two  thoufand 
"  under  the  Meffiah.'*  It  was  alfo  [h)  the  tradition  of  the 
"  houfe  of  Elias,  that  "  the  juft  w^hom  God  (hall  raife  up  (mean- 
"  ing  in  the  nrfl  refurre6^ion)  (ball  not  be  turned  again  info 
"  duft.  Now  if  you  inquire,  how  it  fhall  be  with  the  jiill  in 
"  thofe  thoufand  years  wherein  the  holy  bleiled  God  fnall  re- 
*'  new  this  world,  whereof  it  is  faid  and  the  Lord  alone  fnall  he 
"  exalted  in  that  day  ;  you  muft  know  that  the  holy  bleiled 
"  God  will  give  them  the  wings  as  it  were  of  eagles,  that  they 
"  may  fly  upon  the  face  of  the  waters  ;  whence  it  is  faid,  Pfal. 
"  xlvi.  2.  "  Therefore  will  w«  not  fear,  when  the  earth  fhall  be 
"  changed."  But  perhaps  vou  will  fay,  it  iliall  be  a  pain  and 
"  aifli£f  ion  to  them.  Not  at  all,  for  it  is  faid,  If.  xl.  31.  "  They 
"  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  fhall  renew  their  ftrength,  they  fhall 
"  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles." 

minus  iolus  die  illo.  Traditio  adftipalatur  R.  Ketinse :  Sicut  ex 
feptenis  annis  feptimus  quifque  annus  remiffionis  eft,  ita  ex  feptem 
millibus  annorum  mundi  feptimus  millenarius  remilTionis  erit,  ut 
Dominus  folus  exaltetur  in  die  illo.  In  Gemara  Sanhedrim,  apud 
Mede,  P.  535  et  P.  893. 

[a)  Traditio  domus  Elia: :  Sex  mille  annos  durat  mundus ;  bis 
mille  annis  inanitas  ;  bis  mille  annis  Lex  j  denique  bis  mille  annis 
dies  Chrilli.  apud  Mede.  P.  536,  et  P.  894.  Burnet's  Theory. 
B.  3.  Ch.  5. 

{h)  T'raditio  domus  Eli?c  :  Jufti  quos  relufcitabit  Deus  non  re- 
digentur  iterum  in  pulverem.  Si  quseras  autem.  Mille  annis  illis 
qiijbus  Deus  fandus  benedidlus  renovaturus  ell  mundum  fuum,  de 
quibus  dicitur.  Et  exaltabitur  Dominus  folus  indie  illo,  quid  jiiftis 
futurum  fit ;  fciendum,  quod  Deus  fanftus  benedidus  dabit  illis 
alas  quafi  acquilarum,  ut  volent  fuper  facie  aquarum  ;  unde  dicitur 
(Pf  xlvi.  2.)  Propterca  non  timebimus,  cum  mutabitur  terra.  At 
forte  (inquies)  erit  ipfis  uolori  feu  aiftiftioni.  Sed  occurrit  illud 
(If.  xl.  31.)  Exfpeftantibus  Dominum  innovabuntur  vires,  efferen- 
turaltainftar  aquilatum,  apud  Mede,  P.  776, 


THE     PROPHECIES.  3-^^ 

Of  theChriftian  writers  Si.  Barnabas  in  the  rtrft  ccnturv(fl) 
thus  comments  upon  thcfc  words  of  Mofes,  "  yhd  God  made  in 
"  Jlx  days  the  ivorks  of  his  hands^  and  he  finijhcd  them  on  the 
"  feventh  day^  and  he  rcfted  in  it,  andfanciified  it.  Confider 
«  children, what  that  fignifies,  he  finijhedtheminfix  days.  This 
"  it  fignifies,  that  the  Lord  God  will  finifli  all  things  in  fix 
"  thoufand  years.  For  a  day  with  him  is  a  thoufand  years  ;  as 
"  he  himfelf  teftifieth,  %ing,  Beh-Jd  this  day  jhallbe  as  a  thou- 
"  /and years.  Therefore,  children,  in  fix  days,  that  is  fix  thou- 
"  fand  years,  fhall  all  things  be  confummatcd.  And  he  rejlea 
"  the  feventh  day :  this  fignifies,  that  when  his  fon  fhall  come, 
"  and  Ihall  abolifh  the  feafon  of  the  wicked  one,  and  fhall  judge 
"  the  ungodly,  and  fhall  change  the  fun,  and  the  moon,  and  the 
"  ftars,  then  he  fhall  reft  glorioufly  in  that  feventh  day."  Juftin 
Martyr  in  the  f'cond  century  [a)  declares  the  millennium  to  be 
the  catholic  doclrine  of  his  time.  "  I,  and  as  many  as  are  or- 
"  thodox  chriftians  in  all  refpecSls,  do  acknowledge  that  there 
"  fhall  be  a  refurrecftion  of  the  flefh,  (meaning  the  hrft  refurrec- 
"  tion)  and  a  thoufand  years  in  Jerufalem  rebuilt,  and  adorned, 
"  and  inlarged,  (that  is  in  the  new  Jerufalem)  as  the  prophets 
"  Ezekiel,  and  Ifaiah,  and  others  unanimoufly  atteft."     Aftcr- 


(«)  Fecitque  Deus  in  fex  diebus  opera  mannum  fuarum,  et  con- 
fummavit  in  die  feptima,  et  in  ea  reqaievit,  et  fanilificavit  earn. 
Advertite,  filii,  quid  dicat ;  confummavit  in  fex  diebus  :  id  ait; 
omnia  confummabit  Dominus  Deus  in  fex  niillibus  annotum.  iSam 
apud  ilium  dies  asquiparatur  milleannis,  ut  ipfemct  te'laturdicens. 
Ecce  hodiernus  dies  erit  tanquam  mille  anni.  Itaque,  filii,  in  fex 
diebus,  hoc  eil,  in  fex  annorum  millibus  confummabuntur  univerfa. 
Et  requievit  die  feptima  :  hoc  ait;  quando  veniens  ejua  iilius  tem- 
pus  Iniqui  abolebit,  ac  judicabit  impios,  et  mutabit  folem  ac  Iiinam, 
ftellafque,  tunc  pule  re  requiefcet  in  die  feptima.  S.  Barnabx  Epifl. 
Cap.  15.  Edit.  Cotelerii,  et  Clerici. 

{h)  Ego  autem,  et  fi  qui  reilc-e  per  omnia  fcntentlc  Chriftiani 
funt,  et  carnis  refurrcdionem  futuram  novimu^,  et  mille  annos  in 
Hierufalem  inilaurata,  et  exornata,  ct  diiatata,  ficut  prophetJLs  E- 
zechiel,  et  Efaias,  et  aiii  promulgant.  Et  vir  apud  nos  quidam, 
cui  nomcn  erat  Joannes,  e  duodecim  apoilolis  Chrifti  unus,  in  ca 
quo;  illi  exhibita  eft  revelatione  Chrilli  fideles  nollri  amos  milie 
Hierofolymis  perafturos  ^{V^  prslocutus  eft,  et  poftca  uiiivcrfalem 
et  (ut  femel  dicam)  fcmpiternam  omnium  unanimiter  fimul  rciur- 
reaionem  et  judicium  futurum.  Juft.  Mart.  Dial,  cam  Tryphone 
Pars  Secunda,  P.  307  et  308.  Edit.  Paris.  P.  313.  F.dit. 
Thirlbii. 


350  D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  O  N  3    on 

wards  he  fubjoins,  "  A  certain  man  among  us,  whofe  name 
"  was  John,  one  of  the  apoftlcs  of  ChrilT,  in  a  revelation 
"  made  to  him  did  prophecy  that  the  faithful  believers  in  Chrift 
"  ftould  live  a  thoufand  years  in  the  new  Jerufalem,  and  after 
"  thefe  fhould  be  the  general  refurreclion  and  j  udgment ;"  which 
is  an  early  a.tellation  to  the  genuinenefs  and  authenticity  of  the 
book  of  the  Revelation  ;  for  Juftin  was  converted  toChriflianity 
about  thirty  years  after  the  death  of  St.  John,  at  which  time  pro- 
bably many  were  alive,  who  had  known  and  remembered  the 
apoftle.  Dr.  Middleton  in  his  Inquiry  into  the  miraculous  pow- 
ers, kc.  has  done  great  injuftice  tojuftin  Martyr  as  well  as  to  fe- 
veral  of  the  fathers.  In  treating  of  the  millennium  (P.  26.)  he 
reprefents  Juftin  as  faying,  "  that  all  the  faints  fliould  be  raifed 
*'  in  the  flefli,  and  reign  with  Chrift  in  Jerufalem,  inlarged  and 
"  beautified  in  a  wonderful  manner  for  their  reception,  in  the  en- 
''  joym.ent  of  all  fenfual  pleafures,  for  a  thoufand  years  before  the 
"  general  refurredtion."  But  in  the  original  there  is  no  fuch 
claufe  as  that,  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  fefifual  pleafures  ^  it  is  an  ad- 
dition and  interpolation  of  the  Doctor's  own,  in  order  to  depre- 
ciate the  venerable  father:  and  he  could  not  pofiibly  have  made  it 
by  miftake,  he  muft  have  done  it  defignedly,  for  he  has  cited  the 
original  as  far  as  to  that  claufe,  and  there  flopping  fhcrt  has  con- 
cealed the  reft  with  an&c.  If  he  had  fairly  cited  the  whole  fen- 
tence  (as  I  have  done  above)  he  was  fenfible  that  every  fcholar 
muft  have  detecSted  the  impofition.  It  is  ferioully  to  be  lament- 
ed, that  fo  learned  and  ingenious  a  man  and  fo  very  fine  a  writer 
as  Dr.  Middleton  was.  fliould  in  fupport  of  any  argument  have 
been  guilty  of  fo  many  falfe  quotations  as  he  has  been,  more  than 
any  author  I  knov/.  Forgery  fhould  be  dcem.ed  a  capital  offence 
in  literary  as  well  as  in  civil  affairs.  It  has  been  the  fate  of  Juf- 
tin to  have  his  fenfe  mifreprefented  by  others  as  wtW  as  by 
Dr.  Middleton.  For  he  has  been  made  to  fay  that  the  doctrine 
of  the  millennium  had  not,  even  in  his  time,  obtained  univer- 
fal  reception,  but  that  many  ChrifVians  of  pure  and  pious  prin- 
ciples rejccied  it^  it  Ihould  have  been  faid,  did  not  ackntivledge 
it.  But  Juftin  could  not  fo  palpably  contradi<5l  him.felf.  The 
whole  context  evidently  denionftratcs,  that  we  lliould  read, 
with  Mede  and  Tillotfon,  the  pailage  with  a  negative,  that 
many  not  of  pure  and  pious  principles  did  net  acknowledge  it. 
Forfo?ne^  fays  he,  are  called  Chriftians^  hut  are  cthciflical  and 
ungodly  heretics.  A  manifcft  proof,  that  tliey  were  men  not  of 
pure  and  godly  principles.  A  little  after  he  fubjoins,  that  fome 
are  called  Chriflians^  and  do  not  confrfs  thisy  anddery  the  rcfur^ 


T  H  E     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  351 

region  of  the  dead.     And  then  after  all  follows  what  was  cited 
befoie,  "  But  1,  and  as  many  as  arc  orthodox  ChrilHans  in  all 
*'  refpecls,  do  aclcnovvledge  that  there  (hall  be  a  rcfurre^tion  of 
*■''  the  fljfii  and  a  thoufand  years  in  Jerufalemc,  &c."   He  thought 
the  doc'lrinc  of   the   miilenniuni  of  fuch  cunfjquence  that  he 
has  joined  it  all  along  with  that  of  the  rcfarrcvStion  of  the  dead. 
It  is  evident  therefore  that   he  never  meant  to  fay,  that  thev 
who  rejected  thi?  do6lrine  were  Chriftians  of  pure  and  piou; 
principles^  but  the  contrary.     Tertullian  at  the  beginning  of  the 
third  ceniury  {a)  profefieth  his  belief  of  the  kingdom  proniifed 
to  the  faints  upon  earth,  of  their    refarrection  for  a  thoiifand 
years,  of  their  living  in  the  new  Jerufalem,  and  therein  enjoy- 
ing  all  fpiritual  delights,  and  of  the  deihudion  of  the  world, 
and  the  general  judgment  after  the  thoufand  years:  and  his 
books  of  Paradife  and  of  the  hope  of  the  faith/uJ^  if  they  had 
not  been  loll  or  fuppreded,  might  have  afforded  ampler  proofs 
of  all  thefe  particulars.     La6lantius   at   the  beginning  of  the 
fourth  century  (/?)  is  very  copious  upon  this  fubject  in  the  fe- 
venth  book  of  his  Divine  Inflitutions.     He  faith,  "  Becaufe 
"  all  the  works  of  God  were  finiTncd  in  fix  days,  it  is  necef- 
"  fary  that  the  world  fhould  remain  in  this  ftate  fix  ages,  that 
"  is  fix  thoufand  years."    And  again,  "  becaufe  having  tlnifhed 
"  the  works  he  refted  on  the  feventh  day,  and  blefll-d  it;  i    is 
"  neceliary  that  at  the  end  of  the  fix  thoufandth  vear  all  wick- 
"  edncfs  fhould  be  abolifhed  out  of  the  earth,  and  juflice  fhould 
"  reign  for  a  thoufand  years.''     He  faith,  "  When  the  fon  of 

{a)  Nam  et  confitemur  in  terra  nobis  regnuni  repromilTam  ;  Scq. 
TertuU.  adverf.  Marcion.  Lib.  3.  Cap.  24.   Edit.   Rigaliii.  Pari^ 

{b)  Quoniam  fex  diebus  cunila  Dei  opera  perfecla  funt ;  per  fa:- 
cuia  iex,  id  ell  annorum  fex  miliia,  manerc  hoc  itatu  mundum  ne- 
cefTe  eft. — Et  rarfus,  quoniam  perfedis  operibus  requievit  die  Icp- 
timo,  eumque  benedixit;  necelTe  eft,  ut  in  line  fexti  millefmuanni 
malitia  omnis  oboleatur  et  terra,  et  regnet  per  annos  mille  juftitia. 
Cap.  14.  Verumillc,  cum  deleverit  injuftitiam, — ac  jufto.,,  qui  a 
princioio,  faerunt,  ad  vitam  reftauravcrit,  mille  annis  inter  homi- 
nes verfabitur,  eofque  juftiliimo  imperio  reget. — Sub  idem  tcmpui 
etiamprinceps  dajmonum — catenis  vincietur,ct  erit  incuftodia  mil- 
le annis  ca^leftis  imperii,  quo  juftitia  in  or  «e  regnabit,  no  quod  rna- 
lum  adverfus  populumDei  moliatur.  Cap.  24  Sed  idem,  cum  milic 
anni  regni,  hoc  eft  feptem  miliia  ca^pcrint  termirari ;  lulvetur  de- 
nuo,  &c.  Cum  vcro  completi  fuerint  m.iile  anni, — fiet,  fecunda 
ilia,  et  publica  omnium  refurredio.  in  qua  cxcitabuntur  injafti  ad 
cruciatus  fempiternos. — Ha:c  eft  doclrina  fandorum  prophetarum, 
quam  Chriftiani  fequimur  ;  hxc  noftra  fapicntia.  Cap.  26. 


352         DISSERTATIONS     on 

"  God  {hall  have  deftroyed  injuftice,  and  fhall  have  reftored 
"  the  juft  to  life,  he  ihall  beconverfant  among  men  a  thoufand 
"  years,  and  fhall  rule  them  v/ith  moft  juft  government.  At 
*'  the  fame  time  the  prince  of  devils  fhall  be  bound  with  chains, 
*'  and  Ihail  be  in  cuftody  the  thoufand  years  of  the  heavenly 
"  kingdom,  while  jufiice  fhall  reign  in  the  world,  left  he 
''  fhould  attempt  any  evil  againfl  the  people  of  God."  He 
faith,  "  When  the  thoufand  years  of  the  kingdom,  that  is  fe- 
"  ven  thoufand  years  ini^l  draw  towards  aconclufion,  Satan 
*'  fhall  be  loofed  again :  and  when  the  thoufand  years  fhall  be 
"  completed,  theri  fiiali  be  that  fecond  and  public  refurredtion 
"  of  all,  wherein  the  unjufl  fhall  be  raifed  to  everlafting  tor- 
"  ments."  And  having  inlarged  upon  thefe  topics  he  con- 
cludes, "  This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  holy  prophets  which  we 
"  Chriftians  follow;  this  is  our  wifdom."  In  fhort  the  doc- 
trine of  the  millennium  w^as  generally  believed  in  the  three 
firft  and  purefl:  ages ;  and  this  belief,  as  the  {a)  learned  Dod- 
well  hath  juftly  obferved,  was  one  principal  caufe  of  the  forti- 
tude of  the  primitive  Chriftians  ;  they  even  coveted  martyr- 
dom, in  hopes  of  being  partakers  of  the  privileges  and  glories 
of  the  martyrs  of  the  firft  refurreciiion. 

Aftervv'ards  the  doc^crine  grew  into  difrcpute  for  various  rea- 
jbns.  Some  both  Jewifh  and  Chriftian  v/riters  have  debafed 
it  with' a  mixture  of  fables;  they  have  defcribed  the  kingcom 
more  like  a  fenfual  than  a  fpiritual  kingdom,'  and  thereby  they 
have  not  only  expofed  themfelves,  but  (what  is  infinitely  worfe) 
the  docfrine  itfelf  to  contempt  and  ridicule.  It  hath  fuftercd 
by  the  mifreprefentations  of  its  enemies,  as  well  as  by  the  in- 
difcretions  of  its  friends;  many,  like  (b)  Jerome,  have  charg- 
ed the  millennarians  v/ith  abfurd  and  impious  opinions  which 
they  never  held;  and  rather  than  they  would  admit  the  truth 
of  the  do6lrine,  they  have  not  fcrupled  to  call  in  queftion  the 
genuinenefs  of  the  book  of  the  Revelation.  It  hath  been  a- 
bufed  even  to  worfe  purpofes ;  it  hath  been  made  an  engine  of 
fadtion;  and  turbulent  fanatics,  under  the  pretence  of  faints, 


{a)  jam  in  millennii  regno  primam  fore  refurredionemcorpo- 
rum  crediderunt  primaevi  Chriftiani.  Etutjullorum  propriam  earn 
crediderunt  refurreftionem,  ita  martyrum  in  ea  portionem  longe 
effc  pr3Ecipuam. — H:ec  cum,  ita  crederentur,  dici  ncquit  quantum 
martyres  illius  a^tatis  marryrii  ftudio  inflammarint.  Dodweili 
DiiTert.  Cyprian.  XII.    De  Martyrum  fortitudina.    Seft.  20,  21. 

{6)  See  Mede's  V/orks,  B.  5.  Chap.  5.  D.  Hieronymi  Pronun- 
ciata  de  Dogmate  nulkmiariorum,  P.  897. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  y^j 

have  afpired  to  dominion,  and  difturbcd  the  peace  of  civil  1")- 
ciety.  JBefides  wherever  the  influence  and  authority  of  the 
church  of  Rome  have  extended,  (he  hath  endeavoured  by  all 
means  to  difcredit  this  dodtrine;  and  indeed  not  without  fulfi- 
cient  reafon,  this  kingdom  of  Chrift  being  founded  on  the  ruins 
of  the  kingdom  of  Antichrilt.  No  wonder  therefore  that  this 
do6lrine  lay  deprefTcd  for  many  ages,  but  it  fprang  up  again  at 
the  Reformation,  and  will  flouriih  together  with  the  ftudy  of 
the  Revelation.  All  the  danger  is  on  one  fide,  of  pruning 
and  lopping  it  too  fliort,  and  on  the  other,  of  fuffcring  it  to 
grow  too  wild  and  luxuriant.  Great  caution,  foberncfs,  and 
judgment  are  required,  to  keep  the  middle  courfe.  We  fliould 
neither  withfome  interpret  it  into  an  allegory,  nor  depart  from, 
the  literal  fenfe  of  fcripture  without  ablolute  neccflity  for  fo 
doing.  Neither  fliould  we  with  others  indulge  an  extravagant 
fancy,  nor  explain  too  curioufly  the  manner  and  circumdances 
of  this  future  ftate.  It  is  fafeft  and  beft  faithfully  toadhere  to  the 
words  of  fcripture,  or  tofair  dedu6lions  from  fcripture  j  and  to 
reft  contented  with  the  general  account,  till  time  ihall  accom- 
plifli  and  eclaricife  all  the  particulars. 

7  And  when  the  thoufand  years  are  expired,  Satan  (hall 
be  loofed  out  of  his  prifon. 

8  And  fliall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations  which  are  in 
the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog,  to  gather 
them  together  to  battle  j  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the 
fand  of  the  fea. 

9  And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth,  and 
compaffed  the  camp  of  the  faints  about,  and  the  beloved 
city;  and  fire  came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and 
devoured  them. 

10  And  the  devil  that  deceived  them,  was  caft  into  the 
lake  of  fire  and  brimftone,  where  the  beaft  and  the  falfc 
prophets  tf?Y,  and  fhall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for 
ever  and  ever»^ 

At  the  expiration  of  the  thoufand  years  (ver.  7— lO.)  thf 
reftraint  fhall  be  taken  ofF  from  wickednefs,  and  i or  ./  httic 
feafon  as  it  was  faid  before,  (ver.  3.)  Satan  Jhall  ielooed  c^[t 
cfhis  prifon,  and  make  one  effort  more  to  re-cftabli  h  hiR 
kingdom.  As  he  deceived  our  firft  parents  in  the  pa.adifiacaJ 
ftat?,  fo  he  (hall  have  the  artifice  to  deceive  th,  nati^m  m  tb»s 
V«L    II.  V  y 


354         DISSERTATIONS     on 

millennial  kingdom,  to  fhow  that  no  ftate  or  condition  upon 
earth   is  exempted  and  lecured  from    linning.     The  nations, 
whom  he  fhall  deceive,  are  deicribed  as  living   in  the  remoteft 
parts  of  the  world  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earthy  (in  the 
Greek  thus, /;2  the  four  angles  or  corners  of  the  earth  \)  and  they 
are  diftinguifhed  by  the  name  of  Gog  and  Magogs  and  are  faid 
to  be  as  numerous  as  the  f and  of  the  fea.      Gog  and  Magog  feem 
to  have  been  formerly  the  general  name  of  the  northern  nations 
of  Europe  and  Afia,  as  the  Scythians  have  been  fmce,  and  the 
Tartars  are  at  prefent.     In  Ezekiel  there  is  a  famous  prophe- 
cy concerning  Gog  and  Magogs  and  this  prophecy  alludes  to 
that  in  many  particulars.     Both   that  of  Kzekiel   and  this  of 
St.   John  remain  yet  to  be  fulfilled;  and  therefore  we  cannot 
be  abfolutely  certain   that  they  may  not  both  relate  to  the  fame 
events,  but  it  appears  more  probable  that  they  relate  to  differ- 
ent  events.     The  one  is  expe(5led  to    take  effect  before,  but 
the  other  will  not  take  effect  till  after,  the  millennium.      Gog 
end  Magog  in  Ezekiel  arefaid  exprefsly  (xxxviii.  6.  15.  xxxix. 
2.)  tocom.e  from  the  north-quarters  and  the  north-parts^  but  in 
St.  John  they  come  from   the  four  quarters  or   corners  of  the 
earth.     Gog  and  Magog  in  Ezekiel  bend  their  forces  againfb 
the  Jev/s   refettled    in  their  own   land,  but  in   St.  John  they 
march  up  againft   the  faints  and   church  of  God  in   general. 
Gog  and  Magog  in  Ezekiel  are  with  very  good  reafon  fuppofed 
to  be  the  Turks,  but  the  Turks  are  the  authors  of  the  fecond 
ivoe^  and  the  fecond  zvoe  (xi.  14.)  is  paji  before  the  third  wocy 
and  the  third  woe  long  precedes  the  time  here  treated  of.    Ezc- 
kiePs  prophecy  exadly   coincides  with  the  latter  part  of  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  Daniel,  and  prefignifies  the  deftruftion  of 
the  Othman  empire,  which  includes  Gotner  and  many  Euro- 
pean, as  well  as  Ethiopia^  Lyhia^  and  other  nations.     If  Gog 
and  Magog  in  St.  John  are  the  fame  with  thofe  in  Ezekiel,  then 
we  mufl  fuppofcthe  Othman  empire,  tofubfift  throughout  the 
millennium,  which  can  hardly  be  believed,  as  it  can  hardly  be 
reconciled  with  other  prophecies.     It  may  therefore  be  con- 
cluded that  Gog  and  Magog  as  well  as   Sodoin  and  Egypt^  and 
Babylon^  are  myftic  names  in  this   book;  and  the  lail  enemies 
of  the  Chriftian  church   are  fo  denominated,  becaufc  Gog  and 
Magog  appear  to   be  the  laft   enemies  of  the  Jev/ifh  nation. 
Who  they  (hall  be,  we  cannot  pretend  to  fay  with  any  the  Icaft 
degree  of  certainty.     It  is  a  ftrange  whimlical  abfurd  paradox 


THE     PROPHECIES. 


35S 


cf  (a)  Dr.  Burnet,  but  his  hypothefis  bctniycd  him  into  ir, 
that  they  {hall  be  "  Tons  of  the  earth,  generated  from  the  I'.imc 
"  of  the  ground  and  the  heat  of  the  fun,  as  brute  creatures 
«  were  at  firft."  Mr.  Alcde's  {/?)  conjecture  is  much  more  ra- 
tional, that  they  fhall  be  nations  of  America,  the  nations  of 
America  being  in  all  probability  colonies  or  defcendants  from 
the  Scythians,  that  is  from  Go^  and  Magog.  Whoever  tlicy  (hall 
be  they  fhall  come  up  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  on  the 
breadth  of  the  earthy  and  (hall  co?npafs  thi  camp  of  the  faints 
ahout^  and  the  beloved  city ^  the  new  Jerufalem  with  the  iaints 
incamped  around  it,  as  the  Ifraelites  incampcd  around  the  ta- 
bernacle in  the  wildernefs.  But  they  Ihall  not  fuccccd  and 
profper  in  their  attempts ;  they  fhall  not  be  able  to  hurt  the 
church  and  city  of  God,  but  fhall  be  deftroyed,  in  an  extraor- 
dinary manner,  hy  fire  from  heaveji  :  and  the  devil  himfclf,  the 
promoter  and  leader  of  this  new  apoftacy  and  rebellion  againft 
God  and  his  Chrifl,  fhall  not  only  be  confined  as  before,  but 
fliall  be  cajl  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimjhne^  where  he  /hall  be 
punifhed  together  with  the  beaft  and  the  falfe  prophet  who  were 
cafl  in  before  him,  andfl)all  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever 
and  ever. 

11  And  I  faw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him  that  fat 
on  it,  from  whofe  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled 
away,  and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them. 

12  And  I  faw  the  dead,  fmall  and  great,  fland  before 
God ;  and  the  books  were  opened  :  and  another  book 
was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life:  and  the  dead  were 
judged  out  of  thofe  things  which  were  written  in  the 
books,  according  to  their  works. 

13  And  the  fea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it; 
and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in 
them  :  and  they  were  judged  every  man  according  to  their 
works. 

14  And  death  and  hell  were  cafl  into  the  lake  of  fire; 
This  is  the  fecond  death. 

15  And  whofoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book. 
of  life,  was  cafl  into  the  lake  of  fire. 


{a)  Burnet's  Theory.  B.  4.  Chap.  10.  •     x/,    i  , 

(b)  De  Gop-o  et  Magogo  in  Apocalypfi  Conjedura,  in  Medc  . 
Works.  B.  3.  t*.  574.  Fulkri  Mifcell.  S^cra.  Lib.  2.  Cup.  4-  "»  hne. 


356         DISSERTATIONS     on 

After  this  laft  conflict  and  the  final  defeat  of  Satan,  there 
follows  (ver.  ii — 15.)  the  general  refurre6tion  and  judgment, 
reprefented  in  a  vifion  of  a  great  luhite  throne,  great  to  fhow 
the  largenefs  and  extent,  white  to  fhow  the  juftice  and  equity 
of  the  judgment,  and  one  fitting  on  it,  who  can  be  none 
other  than  tfie  Son  of  God,  for,  John  v.  22.  "  the  Fa- 
"  ther  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son;  from 
"  whofe  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away,  and  there 
"  was  found  no  place  for  them,"  fo  that  this  is  properly  the 
€nd  of  the  zuorld.  The  dead^  both  fimall  and  great^  of  all 
ranks  and  degrees,  as  well  thofe  who  periflied  at  fea  and  were 
buried  in  the  waters,  as  thofe  who  died  at  land  and  were  buri- 
ed in  graves,  are  all  raifed,  and  ftand  before  the  judgment-feat 
of  God,  where  they  are  judged  every  fnati  according  to  their 
works,  as  exactly  as  if  all  their  actions  had  been  recorded  in 
books.  They  v/ho  are  found  not  worthy  to  be  inrolled  in  the 
regifters  of  heaven  are  £aj}  into  the  lake  of  fire ;  whither  alfo 
were  caft  death  and  hell,  or  the  grave,  who  are  here  perfonified, 
as  they  are  likewife  in  other  places  of  holy  fcripture.  It  may 
feem  ftrange  that  death  fhould  be  cafi  into  the  lake  of  fire  which 
is  the  fecond  death ;  but  the  meaning  is  that  ternporal  death, 
which  hitherto  had  exercifed  dominion  over  the  race  of  men, 
fliali  be  totally  aboliflied,  and  with  refpect  to  the  wicked  be 
converted  into  eternal  death,  Then,  as  St.  Paul  faith,  i  Con 
XV.  54,  56.  "  fliall  be  brought  to  pafs  the  faying  that  is  written 
"  Death  is  fwallowed  up  in  victory :  for  the  laft  enemy  that 
"  fhall  be  deftroyed  is  death," 


CHAP.    XXI. 

I      A     N  D  I  faw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  :  for 
x\^  the  firft  heaven  and  the  firft  earth  were  pafled 
away ;  and  there  was  no  more  fea. 

2  And  I  John  faw  the  holy  city,  new  Jerufalem,  com- 
ing down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride 
adorned  for  her  hufband. 

3  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  faying.  Be- 
hold the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell 
with  them,  and  they  fliall  be  his  people,  and  God  himfelf 
fliall  be  with  them,  <?«<i^  be  their  God. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  357 

4  And  God  fliall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes; 
and  there  fhall  be  no  more  death,  neither  i'orrow,  nor 
crying,  neither  fliall  there  be  any  more  pain :  for  the 
former  things  are  pafTed  away. 

5  And  he  that  fat  upon  the  throne,  faid,  IkhoIJ,  I 
make  all  things  new.  And  he  faid  unto  me,  Write  :  for 
thefe  words  are  true  and  faithful. 

6  And  he  faid  unto  me.  It  is  done.  I  am  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end:  I  zv\\\  give  unto  him 
that  is  athirft,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely. 

7  He  that  overcometh  fhall  inherit  all  things,  and  I 
will  be  his  God  and  he  fliall  be  my  fon. 

8  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abomina- 
ble, and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  forcerers, 
and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  fliall  have  their  part  in  the 
lalce  which  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimflone :  which  is 
the  fecond  death. 

J!  new  heave72  and  a  new  earth  (ver.  i.)  fuccecded  in  the 
room  of  the  firji  heaven  and  the  jirjl  earthy  which  pajjed  away 
(xx.  II.)  at  the  general  judgment.  In  the  new  earth  there  is 
this  remarkable  property,  that  there  is  no  morefca^  which  whe- 
ther it  fliall  be  effedled  by  the  means  which  the  [a]  theorifls  of 
the  earth  have  prefcribed  or  by  any  other,  time  mufl:  difcovcr  : 
but  it  is  evident  from  hence,  that  this  new  heaven  and  earth 
are  not  defigned  to  take  place  till  after  the  general  judgment, 
for  at  the  general  judgment,  xx.  13,  "  the  fea  gave  up  the  dead 
"  which  were  in  it."  Many  underftood  the  exprefTion  figura- 
tively, that  there  fhall  be  no  troubles  or  cciwnotions  in  this  new 
world.  In  this  new  world  too  the  new  Jerufalem  appears  (ver. 
2.)  in  full  glory  and  fplendor.  It  is  dcfcribed  as  coming  down 
fro?n  God  out  of  heaven  :  it  is  a  city,  whofe  builder  and  maker 
is  God ;  and  is  adorned  as  the  bride  for  the  Lamb^  the  true 
church  of  Chrifl: :  and  the  new  Jerufalem,  the  true  church  of 
Chrift,  fubfifts  as  well  during  the  millennial  kingdom  as  after 
it.  At  the  commencement  of  the  millennium  it  was  faid,  xix. 
7.  "  The  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath 
"  made  herfelf  ready."  At  the  conclufion  of  the  millennium 
Gog  and  Magog  went  up  (xx.  9.)  againft  the  beloved  city  : 


(a)  Burnet's  Theory.  B.  4.  Chap.  2.  Whiilon's  Theory.  B.  4. 
Ckap.  5. 


358        DISSERTATIONS    on 

And  here  it  is  reprefented  as  the  metropolis  of  the  new  heaven 
and  the  new  earth.  The  new  Jerufalem  fhall  be  the  habitation 
of  the  faints  of  the  firft  refurre6tion,  and  it  fliall  alfo  be  the  habi- 
tation of  the  faints  of  the  general  refurredtion.  The  church  of 
Chrift  fhall  endure  through  all  times  and  changes  in  this  world, 
and  likewife  in  the  world  to  come;  it  fhall  be  glorious  upon 
earth  during  the  millennium,  and  fhall  be  more  glorious  flill  in 
jthe  new  earth  after  the  millennium  to  all  eternity.  Earth  fhall 
then  become  as  heaven,  or  rather  it  fhall  be  a  heaven  upon  earth, 
(ver.  3.)  God  dwelling  vifibly  among  men:  and  (ver.  4.)  there 
pall  be  no  more  deaths  which  cannot  come  to  pafs,  till  death 
fhall  be  totall  abolifhed  (xx.  14.)  by  being  caji  into  the  lake  of 
firey  and  till  the  former  things^  the  firft  heaven  and  the  iirfl  earth, 
are  pajfed  avjay.  He  who  fat  upon  the  throne  as  judge  of  the 
world  (xx.  II.)  declares  (ver.  5.)  Behold^  I  make  all  things 
new  :  He  is  the  author  of  this  fecond  as  well  as  of  the  firft  cre- 
ation, and  he  commands  thefe  things  to  be  written  for  the  edifi- 
cation and  confolation  of  his  church  with  a  firm  aflurance  of 
their  truth  and  certainty.  He  pronounces  this  period  (ver.  6, 
7,  8.)  to  be  the  confummation  of  all  things,  when  the  promifes  of 
God,  and  the  defires  of  his  faithful  fervants  fhall  all  be  fully  ac- 
complifhed  ;  the  righteous  7^^//  inherit  all  things^  but  the  pro- 
fligate and  immoral  _/Z>^//  have  their  portion  in  the  lake  of  fire 
and  hrimfione  \  which  is  a  farther  demonftration,  that  thefe 
things  cannot  take  effect  till  after  the  general  judgment. 

Many,  I  know,  both  ancients  and  moderns,  make  the  mil* 
lennium  fynchronize  with  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth  ; 
and  fome  latitude  of  interpretation  may  be  allowed  in  thefe 
myfterious  points  of  futurity:  but  this  order  of  things,  and  this 
interpretation  of  the  words,  appear  to  me  moft  natural,  and  moft 
agreeable  to  the  context.  Gog  and  Magog,  the  nations  in  the 
four  corners  of  the  earth,  are  deceived  by  Satan  after  the  ex- 
piration of  the  millennium  ;  but  Gog  and  Magog  are  not  in- 
habiters  of  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth.  It  is  not  our 
bufinefs  to  frame  theories  and  invent  hypothefes,  but  faithfully 
to  follow  the  word  of  God  as  our  furefl  guide,  without  regard- 
ing much  the  authority  of  men.  Not  but  various  authorities 
might  be  cited  to  fhow  that  this  is  no  novel  opinion.  As  St. 
Barnabas  i^a)  fays,  "  when  the  Lord  fhall  make  all  things  new, 

(«)  Novatis  vero  cundtis  a  Domino odavi  diei  initium,  hoc 

eft  initium,  alterius  mundi.     Saneti  Barnab.  Epift.  Cap.  15.  Vide 
etiam  Notas  Cotelerii,  &:c. 


THE     PROPHECIES 


3S0 


"  then  fhall  be  the  beginning  of  the  eighth  day,  wliich  i^  the 
"  beginning  of  another  world;"  allowing  fix  thoufand  \cars  to 
tlie  duration  of  this  world,  the  feventh  thoufand  to  the  millen- 
nium, and  the  eighth  thoufand  to  the  beginning  of  a  bltffcd  eter- 
nity :  and  you  may  find  many  more  tcftimonies  alledgcd  to  this 
purpofe  in  the  notes  of  Cotclerius  and  other  critics  upon  this 
paOage  of  St.  Barnabas.  Laclantius  (^)  affirms,  that  ^^  when 
"  the  thoufand  years  fliall  be  completed,  the  world  (hall  be  re- 
"  newed  by  God,  and  the  heaven  fhall  be  folded  up,  and  the 
''  earth  fhall  be  changed  ;  and  God  fhall  transform  men  into 
*'  the  fimilitude  of  angels  ;  and  they  fhall  be  white  as  fnow,  and 
*'  fhall  be  always  converfant  in  the  fight  of  the  Almighty,  and 
"  fliall  facrifice  to  their  Lord,  and  fervc  him  for  ever."  St. 
Auftin  alfo  (b)  declares,  that  "  the  judgment  being  finifhed, 
"  this  heaven  and  this  earth  fliall  ceafe  to  be,  when  the  new 
"  heaven  and  the  new  earth  fhall  begin  to  be.  For  by  a  muta- 
"  tion  of  things  this  woild  will  pafs  away,  not  by  an  utter  cx- 
"  tin6tion.  Whence  alfo  the  apoftle  fays,  (i  Cor.  vii.  31.) 
"  that  the  faJJnon  of  this  world  pajfeth  away.''  And  indeed 
why  fhould  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth  be  deftroyed, 
when  there  fhall  be  no  more  fin,  when  there  Jhall  be  no  more 
ciirfe^  when  there  Jhall  be  no  more  death  P  The  heaven  and  the 
earth  of  old  (2  Pet.  iii.  5 — 7.)  for  the  wicked nefs  of  man /)^r//^-»- 
ed  by  VJater  :  The  heaven  and  the  earth  which  are  now,  are  re- 
fcrved  unto  fire  againjl  the  day  of  judgment^  and  perdition  of 
ungodly  men\  but  why  fhould  not  the  new  heaven  and  the  new 
earth  be  preferved,  wherein  dwelleth  rightcoufncfs  ? 

9  And  there  came  unto  me  one  of  the  feven  angeh, 
which  had  the  feven  vials  full  of  the  feven  lafl  plagues,  and 
talked  with  me,  faying.  Come  hither,  I  will  fhew  thee  the 
bride,  the  Lamb's  wife. 

(«)  Cum  vero  completi  fuerint  mille  anni,  renovabitur  mundu  .  a 
Deo,  et  ccElum  complicabitur,  et  terra  mutabitur  ;  et  transfbrmabit 
Deus  homines  in  fimilitudinem  angelorum;  et  erunt  candidi,  ficut 
nix  :  et  verfabantur  femper  in  confpedtu  omnipotentis,  et  dominio 
fuo  facrificabunt,  et  fervient  in  aeternum.  Ladant.  L.  7  C.  26. 

{b)  Perafto  quippe  judicio  tunc  effe  definet  hoc  ca-lum  et  ha-c 
terra,  quando  incipiet  effe  caelum  novum  ct  terra  nova.  Mutatiorc 
namque  rerum,  non  omni  modo  interitu  tranfibit  hie  mundui.  Un- 
de  et  Apoilolus  ait ;  Preterit  enim  figura  hujus  niundi.  S.  Augull. 
de  Civitate  Dei.  Lib.  19.  Cap.  14.  P.  447-  Tom.  7.  Edit.  Bencdicl. 
Antverp. 


36o         DISSERTATIONS     on 

10  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  fpjrit  to  a  great  and' 
high  mountain,  and  fhewed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy 
Jerufalem,-defcending  out  of  heaven  from  God. 

11  Having  the  glory  of  God;  and  her  Vi ght  was  like 
unto  a  ftone  moil  precious,  even  Jike  a  jafper-ftone,  clear 
as  cryfi:al ; 

12  And  had  a  w^ail  great  and  high,  and  had  twelve 
gates,  and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  names  written 
thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the 
children  of  Ifrael. 

13  On  the  eaft,  three  gates ;  on  the  north,  three  gates; 
on  the  fouth,  three  gates  ;  and  on  the  weft,  three  gates. 

14  And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve  foundations,  and 
in  them  the  names  of  the  twelve  apoftles  of  the  Lamb. 

15  And  he  that  talked  with  me,  had  a  golden  reed  to 
meafure  the  city,  and  the  gates  thereof,  and  the  wall 
thereof. 

16  And  the  city  lieth  four-fquare,  and  the  length  is  as 
large  as  the  breadth  :  and  he  meafured  the  city  with  the 
reed, twelve  thoufand  furlongs:  the  length,  and  the  breadth, 
and  the  heighth  of  it  are  equal. 

17  And  he  meafured  the  wall  thereof,  an  hundred  and 
forty  and  four  cubits,  according  to  the  meafure  of  a  man, 
that  is,  of  the  angel. 

18  And  the  building  of  the  wall  of  it  was  of  jafper;  and 
the  city  zvas  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear  glafs. 

19  And  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city  zuere 
garnifhed  with  all  manner  of  precious  ftones.  The  firll 
foundation  was  jafper;  the  fecond,  faphire;  the  third,  a 
calcedony :  the  fourth,  an  emerald  ; 

20  The  fifth,  fardonyx  ;  the  fixth,  fardius  ;  the  feventh, 
chryfolyth ;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the  ninth,  a  topaz;  the 
tenth,  a  chryfoprafus  ;  the  eleventh,  a  jacincSl;  tlie  twelfth, 
an  amethyft. 

21  And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve  pearls;  every 
feveral  gate  was  of  one  pearl:  and  the  ftreetof  the  city  was 
pure  gold,  as  it  were  tranfparent  glafs. 

22  And  I  faw  no  temple  therein,  for  the  Lord  God 
almighty,  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it. 

23  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  fun,  neither  of  the 
moon  to  ihinc  in  it;  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it, 
and  the  Lamb  is  the  liG:ht,  thereof. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  36r 

24  And  the  nations  of  them  wliich  arc  favcd,  (liall  walk 
in  the  light  of  it:  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  60  hrjni; 
their  glory  and  honour  into  it. 

25  And  the  gates  of  it  fhall  not  be  fliut  at  z\\  bv  dav  : 
for  there  (hall  be  no  night  there. 

26  And  they  lliall  bring  the  glory  and  honour  of  the 
nations  into  it. 

27  And  there  fiiall  in  no  wife  enter  into  it  any  thino- 
that  defileth,  neither  ivhatfocvcr  worketh  abomination,  or 
maketh  a  lie;  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's 
book  of  life. 

A  more  particular  defcription  is  afterwards  given  of  the  n^w 
Jerufalem.      One  of  the  f even  angels  who  had  the  fevrn  via/s, 
(ver.  9.)  and  molt  probably  the  fame  angel,  who  before  had 
Ihowed  to  St.  John  (xvii.  i,  &c.)  the  myllic  Babylon  and  her 
defl-ru6tion,  now  fhoweth  by  way  of  contrail  the  new  Jerufa- 
lem and  her  glory.      For  this   purpofe   (ver.   10.)  he  carricth 
him  away  in   the  fpirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain ;  in  the 
fame  manner  as  Ezekiel,  xl.  2.  "  was  brought  in  the  vifions  of 
"  God,  and  fat  upon  a  very  high  mountain,"  to  fee  the  frame 
of  the  city  and  temple:  and  this  defcription  of  the  new  Jeru- 
falem is  an  aflemblage  of  the  fublimeft  richeft  imagery  of  Eze- 
kiel and  other  ancient  prophets.     The  glory  ofGod^  or  the  di- 
vine Shechinah,  (ver.  11.)  illuminates  the  city.     It  hath  (ver. 
12,  13,  14.)  a  wall  great  and  high ^  to  fhow  its  ftrcngth  and 
fecurity ;  and  twelve  gates  with  angels  for  guard?,  three  on  the 
eajl^  three  on  the  norths  three  on  the  fouth^  and  three  on  the  wej}^ 
to  fhow  that  people  of  all  climates  and  nations  may  havcaccets 
to  it.     On  the  twelve  gates  are  written  the  names  of  the  tweh: 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Ifracly  as  on  the  twelve  foundations  are 
infcribed  the  names  of  the  twelve  apofllesofthe  Lamh^  toiignify 
that  the  Jewifti  and  the  Chriftian  church  are  now  united,  ap.d 
Eph.  ii.  20.  "  built  upon   the  foundation  of  the  apolUes  and 
«  prophets,  Jefus  Chrift  himfelf  being  the  chief  corner  ftonc" 
The  angel  hath  (ver.  15,  16,  17.)  ameafuring  reed,as  theajigJ 
had  likewife  in  Ezekiel ;  (xl.  3.)   ali^the  meafures  of  the  city 
and  of  the  walls  are  formed  by  the  multiplication  of /fw/i/r,  the 
number  of  the  apoftles.     The  city  lieth  four  fquare,  the  length 
as  large  as  the  breadth^  according  to  the  pattern  of  Jerufd.'m 
in  Ezekiel  j    xlvili.    16.    and    "  the   length    and  breadth  and 
«  highth"  of  the  walls  and  buildings  are  c\  cry  wlu  i  c  ^4  thr 
Vol.  IL  Z  z 


362  DISSERT  AXONS     on 

fame  beauty,  flrength,  and  proportion.  It  is  b<utlt  and  garnljh- 
ed  iv'ith  gold  and  all  manner  cf  precious  Jlones^  (ver.  18 — 21.) 
as  t!ie  richeft  emblems  of  eaftern  wealth  and  magnificence ;  the 
ftones  reiembling  thofe  on  Aaron's  breaft- plate,  to  denote  that 
the  Urim  and  'Thunnnhn^  the  light  and  perjecllon  of  God's  ora- 
cle are  there.  It  hath  one  remarkable  peculiarity  (ver.  22.) 
that  there  is  no  temple  therein;  for  the  whole  is  the  temple  of 
God  and  of  the  Lamb.  The  glory  of  God  and  the  Lattib  (ver. 
23.)  ffjine  in  it  with  a  luftre  feperior  to  the  fun  and  moon.  All 
they  who  are  faved  [vtr,  24. — 27.)  walk  continually  in  the  light 
of  it;  for  the  "gates  are  never  Jhut^  and  no  night  is  there  It  is 
the  center  of  glory  and  honour  \  all  the  wicked  are  excluded, 
and  only  good  Chriftians  are  admitted,  they  ivho  are  written  in 
the  Lamb^s  book  of  life. 


CHAP.     XXII. 


I      A     N  D  he  fliewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life, 
±\^  clear  as  cryilal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of 
God,  and  of  the  Lamb. 

2  In  themidft  of  the  flreet  of  it,  and  of  either  fide  of 
the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve 
manner  ^fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every  month  :  and 
the  leaves  of  the  trees  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations. 

3  And  there  fliall  be  no  more  curfe :  but  the  throne 
of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  lliall  be  in  it  \  and  his  fervants 
fhall  ferve  him. 

4  And  they  fhall  fee  his  face :  and  his  name  fhall  be 
in  their  foreheads. 

5  And  there  fhall  be  no  night  there,  and  they  need 
no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  fun ;  for  the  Lord  God 
giveth  them  light:  and  they  Ihall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 

The  five  firfl  verfes  of^his  chapter  are  a  continuation  of  the 
defcription  of  the  new  Jerufalem.  It  is  further  defcribed  with 
the  river  of  life ^  and  the  tree  of  life ^  as  if  paradife  was  reftored 
and  improved.  J  river  flowing  through  the?nidj}  of  the  Jlreets^ 
and  trees  groiuing  on  either  fide  of  the  river  are  wonderfully 
pleafmg  and  agreeable  objects,  cfpecially  in  the  hot  eaftern 
countries.     Of  the  fruits  there  is  fuch  plenty  and  abundance, 


T  H  E   p  R  o  p  H  p:  c  I  i:  s.         363 

that  all  may  freely  partake  of  them  nt  all  fcafons  ;  and  the  very 
leaves  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations;  by  all  which  is  fignil 
fied  the  blelTedjiiefs  of  immortality  without  any  infirmities. 
Then  too  there  jhall  he  no  more  curfe^  as  there  is  in  this  prcfcnt 
world  ever  fince  the  fall  of  man;  but  the  blelTcd  inhabitants 
fliall  enjoy  the  fo  much  talked  of  beatific  vifion^  fhall  live  in  the 
light  of  God's  countenance,  d^n^ferve  hinij  and  reign  for  ever 
and  ever. 

6  And  he  faid  unto  me,  Thefe  faylngs  are  faithful  and 
true.  And  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  fent  his 
angel  to  fhow  unto  his  fervants  the  things  which  muft 
(hortly  be  done. 

7  Behold,  I  come  quickly :  bleflcd  /;  he  that  kccpeth 
the  fayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book. 

In  the  conclufion  the  angel  (ver.  6,  7.)  ratifies  and  confirms 
all  thefe  particulars  by  a  repetition  of  the  fame  folemn  alliirance 
which  he  had  before  given,  (xix.  9.  xx.  5.)  that  thefe  faying^ 
are  faithful  and  true  :  and  he  was  commilTioned  by  the  fame 
God,  who  had  infpired  the  ancient  prophets,  tojhowthe  things 
which  ?nifi fl:ortIy  he  done.,  which  would  very  foon  begin  in  pare 
to  be  fulfilled,  and  in  proccfs  of  time  would  all  be  completed. 
Behold^  I  come  qmckly^  faith  he;  for  we  m.ay  obfcrve  that  the 
angel  fpeaketh  fometimes  in  his  own  perfon,  and  fometimes  in 
the  perfon  and  character  of  Chrift,  whofe  embaiFador  and  repre- 
fentatlve  he  was.  Chrift  is  faid  to  come  upon  any  notable  and 
illuftrious  manifeftation  of  his  providence  ;  and  all  thefe  are  but 
fo  many  fteps  to  prepare  the  way  for  his  laft  coming  to  judg- 
ment. A  blefling  too  is  pronounced,  as  in  the  beginning  (i. 
3.)  upon  thofe  v^\\okeep  the  fayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book : 
and  as  good  Vitringa  {a)  devoutly  wifheth.  May  the  Lord  be- 
ftow  this  grace  and  favour  on  us,  who  have  employed  fome  time 
and  pains  in  the  ftudy  and  explication  of  this  book^  and  fome 
part  of  this  bleffmg  alfo  may  defcend  to  us  ! 

8  And  I  Jolin  faw  thefe  things,  and  heard  them.  And 
when  I  liad  heard  and  feen,  I  fell  down  to  worfhip  before 
the  feet  of  the  ana:el>  which  fhewed  mc  thcle  things. 


{a)  PrzeRet  nobis  hanc  gratiam  Dcminus,  qui  pperam  nliquam 
in  illius  mcditatione  collocavimus,  ct  aliqua  clium  nobis  hujus 
beatitatis  pars  obtingat.      Viriirg.  P.  <;Q9. 


364         DISSERTATIONS     on 

9  Then  faith  he  unto  me.  See  thou  do  it  not:  for  I 
am  thy  feliow-fervant,  and  of  thy  brethren  the  prophets, 
and  of  them  which  keep  the  fayings  of  this  book  :  wor- 
(hip  God. 

10  And  he  faith  unto  me,  Seal  not  the  fayings  of  the 
prophecy  of  this  book  :  for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

11  He  that  is  unjuft,  let  him  be  unjuft  flill :  and  he 
which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  ftill :  and  he  that  is  righ- 
teous, let  him  be  righteous  ftill :  and  he  that  is  holy,  let 
him  be  holy  ftill. 

12  And  behold,  I  come  quickly;  and  my  reward  is 
with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work  fhall  be. 

13  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the 
end,  the  firft  and  the  laft. 

14  BlefTed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that 
they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in 
through  the  gates  into  the  city. 

15  For  without  are  dogs,  and  forcerers,  and  whore- 
mongers, and  murderers,  and  idolators,  and  whofoever 
loveth  and  maketh  a  lie. 

16  I  Jefus  have  fent  m.ine  an2;cl  to  teftify  unto  you 
thefe  things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the  root  and  the  ofF- 
ipring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morning  ftar. 

17  And  the  fpirit  and  the  bride  fay,  Come.  And  let 
him  that  heareth  fay,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirft 
come:  And  whofoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of 
life  freely. 

18  For  I  teftify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words 
of  the  prophecy  of  this  book.  If  any  man  fhall  add  unto 
thefe  things,  God  fhall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are 
written  in  this  book  : 

19  And  if  any  man  Ihall  take  away  from  the  words  of 
the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God  fhall  take  away  his  part 
out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and 
fro?n  the  things  which  are  written  in  this  book. 

20  He  which  teftifieth  thefe  things  faith.  Surely  I  come 
quickly.     Amen.     Even  fo.  Come,  Lord  Jefus. 

21  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrilt  be  with  you 
all.     Amen. 

St.  John  (ver.  8,  9.)  teftifieth  himfelf  to  be  the  perfon  who 
faw  and  heard  thefe  things :  and  in  his  extafy  falling  into  the 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  356 

fame  mldake   that  he  had  committed  before,  (xix.  10.)  he  is 
gently  corredlcd  in  the  fame  manner  by  the  angel :  Who  or- 
dered him  (ver.  10.)  not  to  feal  up  this  'prophecy^  as  Daniel's 
\vas,  (xii.  4,  9.)  "  for  the  time  is  at  hand,"  Tome  of  the  parti- 
culars would  very  foon  be  accompliihed,  as  indeed  all  would 
in  their  due   feafon  and  order:   Which  he  farther   inforceth 
(ver.  II — 15.)  with  promifes  and  threatnings,  of  rewards  to 
the  righteous,  and  of  vengeance  on  the  wicked.     It  was  not 
thought  fufficient  to  reprefunt  the  angel  fpeaking  in  the  peifon 
of Chrift,  but  Chrift  himfelf  alfo  is  introduced  (ver.  16.)  fpeak- 
ing   in  his    own   perfon,    and    confirming   tjie  divine  autho- 
rity of  this  book,  and  attefting  it  to  be  properly  his  revelation. 
The  fpirit  and  the  hride^  (ver.  17.)  that  is,  the  j'pintiial  bridgy 
the  true  church  of  Chrift,  therefore  receives  it,   and  ardently 
wiflieth  and  prayeth  for  its  completion.     The  book  beino-  of 
this  importance  and  authority,  a  folemn  adjuration  is  added  by 
Chrift  himfelf,  that  no  man  prefume  to  add  any  thing  to  it, 
or  take  away  any  thing   from  it,  (ver.  18,  19.)     Forltejiify 
to  every  man  that    heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book^  If  any  man  Jhall  add  unto  thcfe  thin^Sy  God  fiall  add  unto 
him  the  plagues   that  are  written  in  this  hook  :     Jnd  if  any 
man  [hall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  hook  of  this  prophecy^ 
God  Jhall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life^  and  out  of 
the  holy  city^    and  from  the  things   luhich  are  written  in   this 
book  :   Which  ought  to  be  ferioufly  confidered  by  all  vifionaries 
and  enthufiafts  on  the  one  hand,  who  boaft  their  own  inven- 
tions as  divine  revelations;  and  by  all  fccptics  and  infidels  on 
the  other,  who  depreciate  the  value  and  authority  of  thcfe  prc- 
di(ftions.      He  that  tejlifeth  thefe   things^  fiithj  Surely  I  come 
quickly;  (ver.  20.)   he  not  only  attefteth    them    to   be    true, 
but  will  alfo  come  fpeedily  to  accomplilh  them  :  to  which  St. 
John  anfwers,  and  in  him  the  whole  church,  J/nen  :  Even  fo, 
Come^  Lord  j^fus.     He  clofeth  all  with  the  ufual  apoftolical 
benedidtion   (ver.  21.)   wiftiing  the  grace  cf  our  Lord  J ef us 
Chriji  to  the  churches  of  Afia  in  particular,  and  to  all  Chris- 
tians in  general.     The  conclufion  is  truly  excellent,  as  well  as 
all  other  parts  of  this  book  :  and  nothing  could  be  contrived  to 
leave  thefe  things  with  a  ftronger  imprefiion  upon  the  mind  of 
the  readers.     In  the  whole,  from  firft  to  laft,  appears  .the  ma- 
jefty  of  the  divine  revealer,  the  Alpha  and  Ornega^  the  beginning 
and  the  end^  the  author  cmd  fmifner  of  every  good  work,  and  of 
this  more  efpccially. 


366        DISSERTATIONS     on 

This,  as  (Sir  If^c  Newton  (a)  hath  hinted;  and  as  Dn 
Warburton  hath  fully  proved  in  fome  dircourfes,  which  it  is 
hoped  will  be  printed  one  time  or  other  for  the  benefit  of  the 
public,)  is  that y^^r^  lucrd  of  prophecy^  ivhereunto  Chriftians  as 
St.  Peter   faith,   do  luell  to  take  heed  and   attend.     St.  Peter 
(2  Pet.  i.  16,  tiQ.)  is  alTerting  and  eftablilhing  the  truth  of 
Chrift's  fecond  coming  in  power  and  great  glory.    For  we  have 
not  followed  cunningly  devifed  fables^  when  we  made  known  unto 
you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrijl^  hut  were  eye- 
witneffe^of  his  mojejly.     One  illuftrious  proof  of  his  coming  in 
power  and  glory  was  his  appearing;  in  glory  and  majefty  at  his 
transfiguration,  (ver.  17, 18.)   For  he  received  from  God  the  Fa- 
ther honour  and  glory^  when  there  came  fuch  a  voice  to  him  from 
the  excellent  glcry^  'This  is  7ny  beloved  Son^  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleafed.  And  this  voice  which  ca?ne  from  heaven  we  heard,  when 
we  ivere  with  him  in  the  holy  mount.     His  appearing  once  in 
power  and  great  glory  is  a  good  argument,  that  he  may  appear 
again  in  like  manner :  and  that  he  not  only  may,  but  will,  we 
have  a  farther  afTurance  of  prophecy,,  (ver.  19.)   JVe  have  alfo  a 
more  fur  e  word  of  prophecy  \  vjhereunto  ye  do  well  that  ye  take  heed^ 
as  u?ito  a  light  that  Jlnneth  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  daivn, 
and  the  day-Jiar  arife  in  your  hearts.     St.  Peter  might  mean  the 
prophecies  in  general  which  treat  of  the  fecond  coming  of  Chrift, 
but  it  appears  that  the  Revelation  was  principally  in  his  thoughts 
and  intentions.     Chrift's  fecond  coming  in  power  and  glory  is 
one  principal   topic  of  the  Revelation.     With  this  it  begins 
(i.  7.)  "  Behold,  he  cometh  with  clouds:  and  every  eye  fhall 
^'  fee  him."     With  this  it  alfo  concludes,  (xxii.  20.)  "He  who 
«  teftifeth  thefe  things,  faith,  Surely  I  come  quickly."     No- 
thing; can  better  anfwer  the  character  of  the  Revelation,  ef- 
pecially  in  St.  Peter's  time  when  as  yet  fcarce  any  part  of  it 
was  fulfilled,  than  a  light  Jlnning  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day 
dawn,  and  the  day-Jlar  arife  in  your  hearts.     It  openeth  more 
and  more  like  the  dawning  of  the  day ;  and  the  more  it  is  ful- 
filled, the  better  it  is  underftood.     Afterwards   St.  Peter  pro- 


{^a)  Sir  Ifaac  Newton's  obferv.  upon  the  Apoc.  Chap.  i.  P.  240. 
The  Biihop  hath  fince  publiihed  a  difcourfe  upon  this  lubjed  in 
the  third  vol.  of  his  fermons;  but  his  fecond  Icfturer  (Dr.  Halifax) 
contradifts  him  herein,  and  maintains  the  Revelation  to  be  written 
after  the  death  of  St.  Peter  in  the  reign  of  Domitian. 


T  H  E     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  367 

ceeds,  In  the  fecond  chapter,  todefcribc,  out  of  iWisfure  word  of 
prophecy^  the  falfe  prophets  and  talfc  teachers,  who  lliould  infelt 
the  church  :  and  in  the  third  chapter,  the  certainty  of  Chrift's 
coming  to  judgment,  the  conflagration  of  the  prcfent  heavens  and 
earth,  and  the  ilrui^^ure  of  the  new  heavens  and  earth  \  and  all 
agreeably  to  the  Revelation.     Attention  therefore  to  this  boolc 
is  recommended  to  us,  upon  the  authority  of  St.  Peter  as  well  as 
of  the  writer  St.  John  :  and  a  double  blefTmg,  as  we  have  fecn 
in  the  boolc  itfelf,  is  pronounced  upon  thofe  who  fliall  ftudy  and 
obferve  it;  firfl  in.the  beginning,   (i.  3.)  "  Blefied  is  he  that 
"  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and 
''  keep  thofe  things,  which  are  written  therein  ;"  and  here  again 
in  the  end,   (xxii.  7.)  "  Blefled  is  he  that  keepeth  the  fayings 
"  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book.'*     Emboldened  by  which  blef- 
fmg  I  would  humbly  pray  with  Nehemiah,  Nehem.  xiii.  22. 
"  Remember  me,  O  my  God,  concerning  this  alfo,  and  fpare 
"  me,  according  to  the  greatncfs  of  thy  mercy." 


36S        DISSERTATIONS    on 


XXVI, 


Recapitulation   of  the  Prophecies    relating   to 
Popery. 


UPON  the  whole  it  appears  that  the  prophecies  relating 
to  Popery  are  the  greateft,  the  moft  eflential,  and  the 
molt  ftrlking  part  of  the  Revelation.  Whatever  difficulty  and 
perplexity  there  may  be  m  other  pafTsges,  yet  here  the  applica- 
tion is  obvious  and  eafy.  Popery  being  the  great  corruption 
of  Chriftianity,  there  are  indeed  more  prophecies  relating  to 
that  than  to  almoft  any  other  diftant  event.  It  is  a  great  ob- 
je61:  of  Daniel's,  and  the  principal  objeft  of  St.  Paul's,  as  well 
as  of  St.  John's  prophecies  ;  and  thefe,  confidcred  and  compared 
together,  will  mutually  receive  and  reflect  light  from  and  upon 
each  other.  It  will  appear  to  be  clearly  foretold,  that  fuch  a 
power  as  that  of  the  Pope  fliould  be  exercifed  in  the  Chriftian 
church,  and  fliould  authorize  and  eftablifli  fuch  doctrines  and 
practices,  as  are  publicly  taught  and  approved  in  the  church  of 
Rome.  It  is  not  only  foretold  that  fuch  a  power  fhould  be  ex- 
ercifed, but  the  place  and  the  perfons  likcwife  pointed  out, 
where  and  by  whom  it  fhould  be  exercifed.  Befides  the  place 
and  the  perfons,  the  time  alfo  is  fignified  when  it  fhould  prevail, 
and  how  long  it  fhould  prevail ;  and  at  laft  upon  the  expiration 
of  this  term  it  ihould  be  deftroyed  for  evermore.  It  is  thought 
proper  to  reprefcnt  the  prophecies  relating  to  popery  in  one 
view,  that  like  the  rays  of  the  fun  collected  in  a  glafs,  they  may 
appear  with  the  greater  luftre,  and  have  the  ftronger  efFe6t. 

I.  I  fav,  the  fpirit  of  prophecy  hath  fignified  beforehand, 
that  there  fhould  be  fuch  a  power  as  that  of  the  Pope  and 
church  of  Rome  ufurped  in  the  Chriftian  world:  and  thefe 
predictions  are  fo  plain  and  exprefs,  that,  was  not  the  contrary 
evident  and  undeniable,  they  might  feem  to  be  penned  after  the 
event,  and  to  defer ibe  things  paft  rather  than  to  foretel  things 
to  come.  For  inflance,  Hath  there  now  for  many  ages  fub- 
fifted,  and  dt)th  there  (till  fubfift  a  tyrannical,  and  idolatrous, 
and  blafphemous  power,  in  pretence  Chriftian,  but  in  reality 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S  369 

Antichriftian  ?  It  is  the  very  fame  power  that  is  portrayed  in 
the  little  horn  and  the  blafphemous  king  by  i3aniel,  in  the  man 
of  fin  the  fon  of  perdition  by  St.  Paul,  and /«  the  ten-horned 
beajl  and  the  two-horned  beafi  ox  the  falfe  prophet  by  St.  John. 
— Hath  the  church  apoftatized  or  departed  greatly  from  the 
purity  of  the  Chriftiaa  faith  and  worfhip  ?  it  is  the  very  fame 
thing  that  St.  Paul  hath  foretold,  2  Thef.  ii.  3.  "  The  day  of 
"  the  Lord  fhall  not  come,  except  there  come  a  falling  away'* 
or  the  apoltafy  "  firft  :"  and  he  faith  moreover  in  another  place, 
(i.Tim.  iv.  I.)  that  the  fpirit  of  prophecy  (meaning  in  Daniel) 
had  in  exprefs  words  teftihed  the  fame  thing  before,  "  Now 
"  the  Spirit  fpeaketh  exprefsly,  that  in  the  latter  times  fome 
"  fhall  depart  from  the  faith,"  or  rather  apojlatize  frotn  the 
faith  :  and  St.  John  forefaw  the  church  fo  far  degenerated  as 
to  become,  Rev.  xvii.  5.  "  the  mother  of  harlots,"  or  whore- 
doms, "  and  abominations  of  the  earth." — Doth  this  apoilafy 
coniiil  chiefly  in  the  worihipping  of  demons^  angels  and  depart- 
ed faints,  and  in  honouring  them  with  coftly  fhrines  and  rich 
offerings,  inltead  of  the  wor/hip  of  the  one  true  G^i  through 
the  one  true  mediator  between  God  and  man^  the  man  Chrififcfus  ? 
Nothing  can  better  agree  with  the  prophecy  of  St.  Paul,  i  Tim. 
iv.  I.  "  Some  fiiall  apollatize  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to 
"  feducing  fpirits  and  dodrines  concerning  demons  :"  and 
with  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  that  the  blafphemous  king,  xi.  38. 
"  in  his  eltate  fhall  honour  Mahuzzim,"  Gods  protestors  or 
faints  protestors,  "  and  a  god  whom  his  fathers  knew  not,  fhall 
"  he  honour  with  gold,  and  filver,  and  with  precious  ftones, 
"  and  pleafant  things." — Is  the  fame  church,  that  is  guilty  of 
this  idolatry,  notorious  alfo  for  injoining  celibacy  to  her  clergy, 
and  engaging  her  nuns  to  enter  into  vov/s  of  leading  a  fmgle 
life  ?  Doth  fhe  make  a  vain  diftinSlion  of  meats,  and  command 
and  inftitute  certain  times  and  days  of  faffing,  wherein  to  tafte 
flefh  is  judged  a  mortal  fm?  Nothing  can  more  fully  accomplifh 
the  prediction  of  Daniel,  (xi.  37.)  that  the  blafphemous  king, 
v/ho  fhall  worfhip  Mahuzzim,  fhall  alfo  not  regard  the  defireof 
wives'^  and  the  prediction  of  St.  Paul,  i  Tim.  iv.  3.  thatthofe 
who  fhall  apoftatize  from  the  faith  by  worfhipping  of  demons, 
fhall  no  lefs  diffinguifh  themfelves  by  "  forbidding  to  marry, 
"  and  commanding  to  abflain  from  meats,  which  God  hath 
"  created  to  be  received  with  thankfgiving  of  them  who  believe 
"  and  know  the  truth." — Doth  the  Pope  make  him.felf  equal 
and  even  fuperior  to  God,  in  affecting  divine  titles,  attributes/ 
Vol.  ii.  A  a  a 


370        DISSERTATIONS    on 

and  honours  ;  in  afiuming  a  power  of  difpenfing  with  the  im- 
mutaule  laws  of  nature  and  the  gofpel ;  in  fubftituting  for  the 
conmiandinents  of  God  the  traditions  of  men ;  in  treading  up- 
on the  aitar  of  God  at  his  inauguration,  and  malcing  the  table 
of  the  Lord  his  footilooi,  and  in  that  poilure  receiving  the 
adoraLion  of  his  cardinals?  It  is  foretold  by  Daniel,  vii.  25. 
that  the  little  horn  "  fhall  fpeak  great  words  againft  the  moft 
"  High,  and  think  to  change  times  and  laws  i"  and  xi.  36. 
"  the  king  fhali  do  according  to  his  will,  and  he  {hall  exalt 
"  himfdf,  and  magnify  himfelf  above  every  god,  and  fpeak 
"  marvellous  things  againft  the  God  of  gods:"  and  in  like 
manlier  by  St.  Paul,  2  Thef.  ii.  ;^,  4.  "  The  man  of  fin  fliall 
"  be  revealed,  the  fon  of  perdition;  Who  oppoieth  and  exalt- 
"  eth  himfelf  abov^e  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worfhip- 
"  ped,  fo  that  he  as  God  fitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  fhowing 
"  himfelf  that  he  is  God." — Have  the  biihops  of  Rome  ex- 
tended their  authority  and  jurifdiction  over  feveral  countries 
and  nations  ?  Have  they  ufurped  a  fupremacy  over  all  other 
bifhops  ?  Have  they  partly  by  m.enaces,  and  partly  by  flatteries, 
obtained  an  entire  afcendenc/  over  Chriftian  princes ;  fo  as 
to  have  them  zealous  members  of  their  communion,  blindly 
devoted  to  their  intereft,  and  ready  upon  ail  cccafions  to  fight 
their  battles  ?  It  is  iiothing  more  than  what  was  foretold  by  the 
prophets ;  by  Daniel  when  he  faid  vii.  20.  that  the  little  horn 
*'  had  a  mcuth  fpeaking  very  great  things,  and  a  look  more 
*'  ilout  thaii  his  fellows  ;"  and  by  St.  John  when  he  faid,  xiii.  7. 
that  "  power  v/as  given  unto  the  beatt  over  all  kindreds,  and 
"  tongues,  and  nations;"  and  xvii.  2.  "the  kings  of  the  earth 
"  have  committed  fornication,"  or  idolatry,  v/ith  the  whore  of 
Babylon;  and  xvii.  13.  "have  one  mind,  and  fhall  give  their 
"  power  and  ftrength  unto  the  beafl."  Hath  the  church  of  Rome 
inlargedthe  powers  of  her  clergy  both  regular  and  fecular,  given 
them  an  almoft:  abfolute  authority  ov  er  the  purfes  and  confcien- 
cesof  men,  enriched  them  with  funr.ptuous  buildings  and  noble 
endowments,  and  appropriated  the  choiceft  of  the  lands  or 
church  lands  ?  This  was  plainly  intimated  by  Daniel  fpeaking 
of  the  blafpiicmous  king,  as  the  palTage  fliould  be  tranllated  j 
xi.  39.  "  1  his  fhall  he  do  ;  to  the  defenders  of  iVIahuzzim,  to- 
*'  gcther  with  the  flrange  God  whom  he  fhall  acknowledge,  he 
*'  fhall  multiply  honour,  and  he  fhall  caufe  them  to  rule  over 
"  many,  and  fhail  divide  the  land  for  gain." — Is  the  church  of 
Rome  diflinguifhcd  above  all  churches  by  purple  and  fcarlet 


THE     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S  371 


colour,  by  the  richnefs  and  fplendor  of  her  \'eiiments,  by  the 
pomp  and  parade  of  her  ceremonies,  inciting  and  inveigling 
men  with  all  artiiices  of  ornament  and  ollentation  to  join  in 
her  communion  ?  This  was  particularly  fpecihcd  by  St.  John 
Ipeaking  of  the  myflic  whore  of  Bat3)ion  or  the  corrupted 
church,  xviii.  4.  "  And  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple  and 
"  fcarlet  colour,  and  decked  with  gold  and  precious  ftonc  and 
"  pearls,  having  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand,  full  of  abominations, 
"  and  filthinefs  of  her  fornication." — Have  the  biihops  and 
cleigyof  Rome  in  all  ages  been  remarkable  for  their  policy? 
have  they  not  fcrupled  to  promote  their  religion  by  all  manner 
of  lies  and  pious  frauds  ?  have  they  allowed  of  equivocation 
and  mental  refervation  in  oaths  and  promifes,  and  with  the  ap- 
pearance of  lambs^  in  meeknefs  and  fanclity,  a6ted  like  raven- 
ing wolves^  with  fury  and  violence  ?  Daniel  hath  given  the  fame 
chara6fer  of  the  little  horn,  (viii.  8.)  "  Behold,  in  this  horn  were 
*'  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  and  a  mouth  fpeaking  great 
"  things  ;"  and  St.  Paul  of  the  apoilates  in  the  latter  times, 
(i  Tim.  iv.  2.)  "  Speaking  lies  in  hypocrify,  having  their  con- 
*'  fcience  feared  with  a  hot  iron  ;"  and  St.  John  of  the  two 
horned  beaft,  (xiii.  ii.)  "  And  I  beheld  another  beaft  comino; 
"  up  out  of  the  earth,  and  he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he 
"  fpake  as  a  dragOn." — Doth  the  church  of  Rome  boaft  of 
vifions  and  revelations,  and  make  a  fhov/  of  miracles  in  attefta- 
tion  of  her  do6frines  ?  do  her  legends  contain  as  many  fpuri- 
ous  and  pretended  wonders,  as  the  fcriptures  do  genuine  and 
real  ?  From  St.  Paul  we  learn,  2  Thef.  ii.  9,  10.  that  "the 
^'  coming"  of  the  man  of  fm  "  is  after  the  working  of  Satan, 
"  with  all  power,  and  figns,  and  lying  v/onders,  and  with  all 
"  deceivablenefs  of  unrighteoufneis  j"  and  from  St.  John, 
"  xiii.  13,  14.  that  the  falfe  prophet  "  doeth  great  wonders 
"  in  the  fight  of  men,  and  deceiveth  them  who  dwell  on  the 
"  earth  by  the  means  of  thofe  miracles  which  he  hath  power 

"  to  do." Doth  the  church  of  Rome  require  an  implicit 

obedience, condemn  all  who  will  not  readily  conform  as  heretics, 
and  excommunicate  and  exclude  them  from  the  civil  in- 
tercourfes  of  life  ?  So  the  falfe  prophets  in  St.  John,  xiii.  16. 
17.  "  caufeth  all,  both  fmall  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free 
"  and  bond,  to  receive  a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their 
"  foreheads ;  and  that  no  man  might  buy  or  fell,  fave  he  that 
"  had  the  mark  of  the  beaft." — Have  the  Roman  pontiffs  oc- 
calioned  the  iliedding  of  as  much  or  more  Chrlflian  blood  than 


372         D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S     o  n 

the  Roman  emperors  themfelves  ?  have  they  all  along  maintain- 
ed their  fpiritual  {"overeignty  by  lecret  plots  and  inquifitions,  by 
open  dragoon ings  and  maliacres,  and  imprifoned,  and  tortured, 
and  murdered  the  true  won'hippers  of  God,  and  the  faithful  fer- 
vants  of  Jefus  ChriH  ?  This  particular,  as  well  as  all  the  reft, 
exa6fly  anfwers  the  predictions  of  the  prophets.  For  it  is  af- 
firmed of  the  little  horn  in  Daniel,  vii.  21,25.  that  he  "  fhall 
"  make  w;;r  with  the  faints,  and  fliall  prevail  againft  them  j 
"  fhall  fpeak  great  words  againft  the  moft  High,  and  Ihall  wear 
"  out  the  faints  of  the  moit  High :"  and  the  woman  in  the  Re- 
velation, Balylonihe  great^  the  mother  of  harlot s^xvn.  6.  is  re- 
prefcnted  as  "  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  faints,  and  with 
"  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jefus,"  and  xviii.  24.  in  her  was 
"  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of  faints,  and  of  all  that  were 
"  flain  upon  the  earth." 

Belides  thefe  plain  and  diredt  prophecies  of  the  corruptions 
and  innovations  of  the  church  of  Rome,  there  are  feveral  fecret 
glances   at  ihcm,  feveral  oblique  intendments  and  intimations 
of  them. Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  worlds  ( A(Sts  xv.  18.)  and  when  the  holy  Spirit  dic- 
tated to  the  ancient  prophets  the  prophecies  concerning  Baby- 
lon, Tyre,  Egypt,  and   other  tyrannical  and  corrupt  govern- 
ments, he  dictated  them  in  fuch  a  manner  as  plainly  evinces  that 
he  had  a  farther  view  to  this  laft  and  moft  tyrannical  and  cor- 
rupt government  o^  all     Babylon,  Tyre,  Egypt,  and  the  reft, 
are  made  the  types  and  emblems  of  Rome ;  and  many  of  the 
particulars   predicted  concerning    the  former,  are  more  truly 
and  properly  applicable  to  the  latter  ;    and   feveral   of  them 
have  been  applied   accordingly  by  St.   John.     Jeremiah   faid 
concerning  ancient  Babylon,  li.  7,  45.  "  Babylon  hath  been 
"  a  golden  cup  in  the  Lord's   hand,  that  made   all  the   earth 
*<  drunken ;  the  nations  have  drunken  of  her  wine,  therefore 
**  the  nations  are  mad  :    My  people,  go  ye  out  of  the  midft 
"  of  her,  and  deliver  ye  every  man  his  foul  from  the  fierce 
*'  anger  of  the  Lord."     But  how  much  more  applicable  are 
thcfc  exp'-cffion?,  as  St.  John  hath  applied  them,  to  myftic  Ba- 
bylon or  Rome  ?     xvii.  4.  xviii.  3,  4.   She  hath  "  a  golden  cup 
"  in  iier  hand,  full  of  abominations :  All  nations  have  drunk 
"  of  the  poifonous  wine  of  her  fornication:  Come  out  of  her, 
"  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  fins,  and  that  ye 
"  receive  not  of  her  plagues."    The  prophets  themfelves  might 
not  underftand  this  myltically,  and  faw  perhaps  no  farther  than 

/ 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  373 

the  literal  meaning  ;  but  they  f^ake  as  they  ivere  moved  by  the 
holy  Ghoji^  (2  Per.  i.  21.)  who  comprehends  all  events,  the 
moil:  remate  as  well  as  the  moil  immediate. — But  the  intima- 
tions of  popery,  which  I  particularly  meant,  are  more  fre- 
quent and  more  obvious  in  the  New  Teitament.  Why  was 
our  blefTed  Saviour  fo  very  cautious  in  giving  honour  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  that  he  feemed  to  regard  her  lei's  than  the  leaft 
of  his  diiciples?  Matt.  xii.  48.  "  Who  is  my  mother  ?"  John 
ii.  4.  "  Woman,  what  have  I  to  do  with  thee  ?"  Luke  xi.  27, 
28.  "  Blefled  is  the  womb  that  bare  thee  :  Yea,  rather  blefTed 
"  arc  they  who  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it."  V/hy 
did  he  rebuke  St.  Peter  more  feverely  than  any  other  of  the 
apoflles,  Matt.  xvi.  23.  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan,  thou 
*'  art  an  offence  unto  me,  for  thou  favoureft  not  the  things 
"  that  be  of  God,  but  thofe  that  be  of  men ;"  and  efpecially 
juft  after  giving  him  that  high  encomium,  ver.  18.  "  Thou 
"  art  Peter,  and  upon  thi-;  rock  I  will  build  my  church?" 
May  we  not  reaibnably  prefume  that  he  fpake  and  acted  thus, 
as  forefeeing  that  divine  worfhip  which  would  idolatroufly  be 
paid  to  the  one,  that  fupremacy  which  would  be  tyrannically 
arrogated  to  the  other,  and  which  that  very  encomium  would 

impertinently  be  brought  to  countenance  ? How  came  it  to 

pais  that  our  Saviour  in  inilituting  his  holy  fupper  (Matt.  xxvi. 
26,  27.)  faid  of  the  bread,  only  Take^  eat-,  but  of  the  cup 
more  particularly.  Drink  ye  all  of  it  ?  May  we  not  probably 
fuppofe  that  it  was  defigned  to  prevent  or  obviate  their  facri- 
lege,  who  would  have  all  indeed  eat  of  the  bread,  but  priejis 
only  drink  of  the  cup  ? — V/hy  were  the  vices  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharifees  left  fo  particularly  upon  record,  if  not  chiefly 
for  the  correction  and  reproof  of  their  natural  ifTue  and  defcen- 
dents,  the  clergy  of  the  church  of  Rome  ?  Read  the  whole 
23d  Chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  and  you  will  find  that  there  is 
not  a  Tingle  woe  denounced  againft  the  former,  but  as  proper- 
ly belongs,  and  is  as  ftridly  applicable  to  the  latter.  Binding 
heavy  burdens^  and  grievous  to  be  borne^  and  laying  them  on  mens 
fioulders  ;  doing  all  their  works  for  to  be  feen  of  men  \  Jhutting 
up-  the  kingdom  of  heaven  againji  men^  neither  going  in  them^ 
felves^  neither  fufftr in g  them  who  are  entering  to  go  in  ;  devour- 
ing  widows  houfes^  and  for  a  pretence  making  long  prayers ; 
iompajjing  fea  and  land  to  make  one  profelyte^  and  when  he  is 
made^  making  him  twofold  more  the  child  of  hell  than  them- 
fchss  i   making   ufelefs   and   frivolous  diilinc^ions  of  oaths ; 


374         DISSERTATIONS    on 

obfervlngpofitive  duties,  and  orjiittlng  the  weightier  matters  of 
the  law  J  judgment^  mercy  ^  and  faith  ;  making  clean  the  outfiie^ 
hut  within  being  full  of  extortion  andexcefs\  outwardly  appear- 
ing righteous  unto  men^  but  within  being  full  of  hypocrify  and 
iniquity;  building  the  tombs  of  the  prophets^  and  garnijhing 
the  fepulchres  of  the  righteous^  honoring  the  dead  faints,  and 
at  the  fame  time  perfecuting  the  living;  are  as  ftrong  marks 
and  characters  of  the  one  feci  as  they  were  of  the  other.— 
T>o  not  forbidding  impHcit  faith  and  obedience  to  men,  Matt, 
xxiii.  2.  "  Call  no  man  your  father  upon  the  earth,  for  one 
"  is  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven;"  forbidding  the  worfhip 
"  of  angels,  Col.  ii.  i8.  "  Let  no  man  beguile  you  of  your  re- 
"  ward,  in  a  voluntary  humility,  and  worfhipping  of  angels;" 
forbidding  all  pretences  to  works  of  merit  and  fupererogation, 
Luke  xvii.  10.  "When  ye  fhall  have  done  all  thofe  things 
"  which  are  commanded  you,  fay,  We  are  unprofitable  fer- 
"  vants,  we  have  done  that  whith  was  our  duty  to  do;"  for- 
bidding the  clergy  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  i  Pet.  iv. 
3.  "  Neither  as  being  lords  over  God's  heritage,  but  being  en- 
"  famples  to  the  flock ;"  forbidding  the  fervice  of  God  in  an 
unknown  tongue,  as  St.  Paul  hath  done  at  large  in  the  14th 
Chap,  of  his  firft  Epiftle  to  the  Corinthians :  Do  not  all  thefe 
and  fuch  like  prohibitions,  I  fay,  neceflarily  fuppofe  and  im- 
ply, that  one  time  or  other  thefe  particular  errors  and  abufes 
would  creep  into  the  church  ?  and  in  what  church  they  arc 
publicly  taught  and  praclifed,  no  man  can  be  infenfible. 
Such  texts  of  fcripture  are  as  much  predi^ions  that  thefe 
things  would  he^  as  they  are  arguments  that  they  fnould  not  he. 
For  laws  divine  and  human  are  not  levelled  againll  chimerical 
and  mere  imaginary  vices,  fuch  as  never  are,  never  will  be 
brought  into  practice;  but  are  enabled  by  reafon  of  thofe 
enormities,  which  men  either  have  committed  or  are  likely  to 
commit,  and  which  the  lawgivers  wifely  forefeeing  are  there- 
fore v/illing;  to  prevent. — Why  doth  St.  Paul  admonifh  the 
Romans  particularly  to  beware  of  apoftafy  ?  Rom.  xi.  20,  22. 
"  Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear  ; — otherwife  thou  alfo  (halt 
"  be  cut  off."  Surely  this  is  a  ftrange  way  of  addrefTmg  the 
Romans,  if  the  church  of  Rome  was  defigned  to  be  the  infalli- 
ble judge  of  controverfies,  the  center  of  unity,  and  director  of 
all  relio-ion. — View  the  picture  that  both  St.  Peter  and  St.  Jude 
have  drawn  of  falfc  teachers,  and  confider  whom  it  moft  re- 
fembles  in  all  its  features.     2  Pet.  ii.  i,  hQ,  "  But  there  were 


THE    PROPHECIES.  375 

"  falfe  prophets  alfo  among  the  people,  even  as  there  fhall  be 
<*  falfe  teachers  among  vou,  who  privily  (hall  bring  indamna- 
*'  ble  herelies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them;  And 
"  many  iliall  follow  their  pernicious  ways,  by  reafon  of  whom 
"  the  way  of  truth  fnall  be  evil  fpoken  of;  And  through  co- 
"  vetoufaels  fhall  they  with  feigned  words  make  merchandize 
"  of  you,"  Sic.  Jude  4,  &c.  "  Ungodly  men,  turning  the 
"  grace  of  our  God  into  iafcivioufnels,  and  denying  the  only 
"  Lord  God  and  our  Lord  Jefus  Chriil: ;  Thefe  filthy  drcam- 
"  ers  defile  the  uefli,  defpife  dominion,  and  fpeak  evil  of  dig- 
"  nities ;  Thef^  be  they  who  feparate  themfelves,  fenfual, 
"  having  not  the  fpuit;"  ^>t:c. — What  St.  Paul  hath  predicted 
concerning  the  corruption  of  the  laft  days,  is  too  m.uch  the 
character  of  all  fe6ls  of  Chriftians,  but  the  application  more 
properly  belongs  to  the  members  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
2  Tim.  iii.  i,  &c.  ''  This  know  alfo,  that  in  the  laft  days  pe- 
"  rilous  times  fhall  come :  For  men  fhall  be  lovers  of  their 
"  own  feives,  covetous,  boaflers,  proud,  blafphemers,  difo- 
"  bedient  to  parents,  unthankful,  unholy ;  Without  natural 
"  afFecfion,  truce-breakers,  falfe  accufers,  incontinent,  fieice, 
"  defpifers  of  thofe  that  are  good;  Traitors,  heady,  high- 
"  minded,  lovers  of  pleafure  more  than  lovers  of  God ;  Ha- 
"  ving  a  form  of  godlinefs,  but  denying  the  power  thereof."— 
Such  are  the  dire6t  prophecies,  and  fuch  the  general  intimati- 
ons of  popery  ;  and  we  have  the  better  right  to  make  this  ap- 
plication of  the  general  intimations,  as  the  dired  prophecies  are 
lb  plain  and  particular. 

11.  It  is  not  only  foretold,  that  fuch  a  power  as  that  of  the 
Pope  and  church  of  Rome  fhould  be  exercifed  in  the  Chrifliaa 
world ;  but  to  prevent  any  miflake  in  the  application  of  thefe 
prophecies,  the  place  and  the  perfons  likewife  are  pointed  out, 
where  and  by  whom  it  fhould  be  exercifed.  The  prophet  Da- 
niel (Chap,  vii.)  h3.th  defcYibed  four  l^afis  or  four  I'ingdoms  : 
and  out  of  the  fourth  beai^  or  kingdom,  he  faith,  fhall  arife 
ten  horns  or  ten  kings  or  kingdoms ;  and  among  them  or  after 
them  Jhall  come  up  another  little  horn ;  and  he  Jhall  he  divers 
from  the  reft ;  and  he  fliall  have  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man^  and 
a  mouth  f peaking  great  things^  and  a  look  more  flout  than  his 
fellows  ;  and  he  Jhall  fubdue  and  pluck  up  hy  the  roots  three  of 
the  firfl  horns  or  kings ;  and  Jhall  j^cak  great  words  againft  the 
moji  High^  and  fnall  wear  out  the  faints  of  the  mofl  High^  and 
think  to  change  times  and  laws.     Daniel's  firft  kingdom  is  the 


376         DISSERTATIONS     ok 

Babylonian,  the  fecond  is  the  Perfian,  the  third  is  the  Mace- 
donian or  Grecian,  and  the  fourth  can  be  none  other  than  the 
Roman ;  and  the  Roman  empire,  upon  its  dilTolution,  was  di- 
vided into  ten  kings  or  kingdoms.  It  is  in  the  vveftern  or  Latin 
empire  that  thefe  ten  kings  or  kingdoms  are  to  be  fought  and 
found :  for  this  was  properly  the  body  of  the  fourth  beaft,  the 
Greek  or  eaftern  empire  belonged  to  the  body  of  the  third  beaft : 
and  out  of  the  weftern  Roman  empire,  by  the  incurfions  of 
the  northern  nations,  arofe  ten  kings  or  kingdoms ;  of  whom 
having  mentioned  the  names  before,  we  need  not  repeat  them 
here.  Now  v/ho  is  the  little  horn  that  was  to  fpring  up  among 
thefe  or  after  thefe ;  who  as  a  politico-ecclefiaftical  power  dif- 
fereth  from  the  other  ten  powers  ;  who  hath  eyes  like  the  eyes  of 
a  man^  that  is  {a)  is  a  j'eer^  as  Sir  Ifaac  Newton  fays,  or  bi- 
Ihop  in  the  literal  kiik  of  the  word  ;  who  hath  a  mouth  fpcak- 
ing  great  things^  bulls  and  anathemas,  interdicts  and  excom- 
munications ;  who  hath  a  lock  more  Jlout  than  his  fellows^  af- 
fuming  a  fupremacy  not  only  over  other  bifhops,  but  even  a 
fuperiority  over  kings  and  emperors  themfelves ;  who  hath 
pluckt  up  hy  the  roots  three  of  the  firjl  horns^  the  exarchate  of 
Ravenna,  the  kingdom  of  the  Lombards,  and  the  ftate  of 
Rome,  and  is  diftinguilhcd  by  the  triple  crotun  ;  who  fpeaketh 
great  ivords  agai'njl  the  moji  High^  fetting  up  himfelf  above  all 
laws  divine  as  well  as  human;  who  tvcareth  out  the  faints  of 
the  moj}  Hlgh^  by  wars  and  maflacres,  inquifitions  and  perfe- 
cutions  ;  who  changeth  times  and  laws^  inftituting  new  religi- 
ons, and  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men  ; 
are  queftions  which  I  think  cannot  admit  of  much  difpute ; 
there  is  only  one  perfoa  in  the  world  who  can  fully  anfwer  all 
thefe  characters. 

The  blafphemous  king  defcribed  in  the  nth  Chapter  of 
Daniel,  ver.  36 — 39.  who  "  fhall  do  according  to  his  will, 
"  and  (hall  exalt  himlFifand  magnify  himfelf  above  every  god, 
"  and  fliall  fpeak  marvellous  things  againft  the  God  of  gods, 
"  and  ftiall  profpcr  till  the  indignation  be  accompliihed,  who 
"  fhall  not  regard  the  God  of  his  fathers,  nor  the  defire  of 
"  wives,  but  in  his  cdate  fhall  honor  Mahuzzim,  and  the  de- 
"  fenders  of  Mahuzzim  fhall  increafe  with  glory,  and  fhall 
"  caufe  them  to  rule  over  many,  and  fhall  divide  the  land  for 
"  gainj"  is  indeed  a  more  general  character  comprehending 


{a)  Sir  Ifaac  Newton's  Obferv.on  Daniel,  Chap.  7.  P.  75. 


TH£    PROPHECIES.  377 

the  tyrannical  and  corrupt  power  of  the  eaftern  church  as  well 
as  of  the  wcllern.  But  when  we  confider,  how  much  and 
how  far  the  Latin  hath  prevailed  over  the  Gretk  church  ;  how 
the  fupremacy,  which  was  iirft  claimed  by  the  patriarch  of 
Conftantinople,  hath  been  fully  eftablilhed  in  the  billiop  of 
Rome ;  how  much  more  abfolute  the  zvill  of  the  Roman 
pontiff  hath  been  than  that  of  the  Byzantine  emperor:  how 
the  Pope  hath  exalted  bimfelf  and  magnified  himfidf  as  a  god 
upon  earth ;  how  much  more  the  Latins  have  degenerated 
from  the  religion  of  t\\Q\r:  fathcj's  than  the  Greeks  ;  how  the 
defer e  cffmgle  life  and  the  worjhip  of  the  dead^  which  fn-ft  be- 
gan in  the  eaftern  parts,  have  been  carried  to  the  greateft 
heighth  in  the  v/eflern  empire ;  how  much  the  jurifdiction  and 
authority,  the  lands  and  revenues  of  the  Roman  clergy  have 
exceeded  thofe  of  the  Greeks ;  how  while  the  Greek  church 
hath  lain  opprelTed  for  feveral  centuries,  the  Roman  hath  ftili 
profpered^  and  in  all  probability  ftill  may  profper  till  God's 
indignation  againft  the  Jews  be  accomplijbed '.  in  fhort  when 
we  confider,  how  entirely  this  character  agrees  with  that  of 
the  little  horn^  and  how  much  better  it  agrees  with  the  head  of 
the  Roman  than  v/ith  the  head  of  the  Greek  church,  the  particu- 
lar application  of  it  to  the  bifhop  of  Rome  may  well  be  jufti- 
iied,  efpecially  fmce  St.  Paul  himfelf  hath  applied  it  in  the  fame 
manner. 

St.  Paul  hath  drawn  the  man  of  fen^  the  fon  of  perdition^ 
(2  Thef  ii.)  an  exa6t  copy  and  refemblance  of  the  little  horn 
and  the  hlafphemous  king  in  Daniel :  and  this  man  of  fin  muft 
neceflarily  be  a  Chrijlian^  and  not  a  Heathen  or  Infidel  power, 
becaufe  he  is  reprefented  as  God  fitting  in  the  temple  of  God. 
He  is  defcribed  too  as  the  head  of  the  apofeafy  or  the  falUng 
away  frorn  the  faith  ;  and  this  apoftafy  is  afterwards  ( i  Tim. 
iv.  I.)  defined  by  St.  Paul  to  confift  in  worfirtipping  of  deimns^ 
angels  and  deceafed  faints :  and  no  man  furely  can  have  any 
reafon  to  doubt,  who  is  the  head  and  leader  of  this  apoftafv, 
the  patron  and  authorizer  of  this  worfhip.  The  apoftle  had 
communicated  to  the  Theflalonians,  what  it  was  that  hindered 
his  appearing,  (ver.  5,  6.)  Refnetnber  ye  not  that  when  I  was 
yet  with  you^  I  told  you  thefe  things  f  Jnd  now  ye  knozv  what 
withholdeth  that  he  might  be  revealed  in  his  time.  What  this 
was  the  apoftle  hath  no  where  exprefsly  informed  us ;  but  If 
tradition  may  be  depended  upon  in  any  cafe,  it  may  certainly 
in  this.     For  it  is  tlie  conftant  and  current  traditioa  of  the 

Vol.  IL  B  b  b 


378         DISSERTATIONS    on 

fathers,  that  vjhat  withholdeth  is  the  Roman  empire  :  and  there- 
fore the  primitive  Chriftians  in  the  public  offices  of  the  church 
prayed  for  its  peace  and  welfare,  as  knowing  that  when  the 
Roman  empire  fhould  be  broken  into  pieces,  the  empire  of  the 
7nan  of  fin  would  be  raifed  on  its  ruins.  They  made  no  quef- 
tion,  they  were  fully  perfuaded,  that  the  fucceilbr  of  the  Roman 
emperor  in  Rome  would  be  the  man  of  f^n  :  and  who  hath  fuc- 
ceeded  to  the  Roman  emperor  in  Rome,  let  the  world  judge 
and  determine. 

St.  John  too  hath  copied  after  Daniel,  and  (chap,  xiii.)  ex- 
hibits the  Roman  empire  under  the  fame  emblem  of  a  beafiwith 
ten  horns.  It  is  evident  that  he  deflgned  the  fam.e  as  Daniel's 
fourth  or  lafl:  beaft,  becaufe  he  reprefents  him  as  acompofition  of 
the  three  former,  with  the  body  of  a  leopard^  the  feet  of  a  bear, 
and  the  mouth  of  a  lion.  He  defer ibes  him  too  with  the  qualities 
and  properties  of  the  little  horn^  fpeaking  the  fame  blafphemies, 
a6i:ing  the  fame  cruelties  :  and  having  plainly  ^qvl  what  power 
was  intended  by  the  one,  we  have  the  lefs  reafon  to  hefitate  about 
the  other.  But  to  diflinguifh  him  yet  more,  the  number  of  his 
name  is  defined  to  he  fix  hundred  and  fixty-fix.  It  was  an  an- 
cient practice  to  denote  names  by  num.bers ;  and  this  number 
muft  be  rcfolvable  into  fome  Greek  or  Hebrew  name,  to  which 
all  the  characters  here  given  may  agree.  It  is  an  early  tradition 
derived  from  (^)  Irenseus,  who  lived  not  long  after  St.  John's 
time,  and  was  a  difciple  of  a  difciple  of  this  apoftle,  that  the 
number  666  includes  the  Greek  name  Lateinos  or  the  Latin 
empire.  Or  if  you  prefer  a  Hebrew  name,  as  St.  John  hath 
fometimes  made  \\{c  of  Hebrew  names,  it  is  no  lefs  remarkable 
that  this  number  comprehends  aifo  the  Hebrew  name  Romiithy 
or  the  Roman  empire.  For  more  clearnefs  and  furenefs  ftill,  a 
"woman  is  fhown  (chap,  xvii.)  riding  upon  this  fam.e  beaft,  and 
her  name  is  Babylon  the  great  j  but  Babylon  was  deftroyed 
long  before,  and  by  Babylon  all  agree,  was  meant  Rome.  The 
feven  heads  of  the  beaft  are  likewife  explained  to  be  feven 
mountains  on  which  the  woman  fitteth.,  which  all  the  world 
know  to  be  the  fituation  of  PvOmc.  The  woman  herfelf  is 
alfo  declared  to  be  tbat  great  city  which  reigneth  over  the  kings 
cfthe  earth  ;  and  that  can  be  none  other  than  Rome.  Indeed 
the  papifts  themfelvcs   allow  (for  they  cannot  but  allow)  all 


{a)  Ircn.  Lib.  5,  Cap.  30.  P.  449.  Edit.  Grabe. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  379 

this  to  be  faid  of  Rome,  but  then  they  argue  and    maintain  it 
to  be  faid  of  Heathen  Rome.     But  that  cannot  be ;  becaufe 
it  agrees  not  with  feveral  circumftances  of  the    prophecy,  and 
particularly  with  the  woman's  fitting   upon  the  beaft  with  ten 
horns^  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns^  which   muft  needs  typi- 
fy the  Roman  empire,  after  it  was  divided  into  ten  kingdoms, 
but  the   Roman  empire  was   not  divided  into  ten  kingdoms  till 
fome  years  after  it  became  Chriftian.     St.  John  with   the  eyes 
of  prophecy  faw  this  beaft  rife  up  out  of  the  fea^  and  the  angel 
in  his  expofition  faith,  that  he  fmll  afcend  out  of  the  bottomlefs 
pit;  but  Heathen  Rome  had  rifen  and  flourifhed  many  years 
before  this  time.     This  beaft  cannot  reprefent  Heathen  Rome 
becaufe   he    is   fucceffor  to    Heathen  Rome,  to  the  great  red- 
dragon  in  his  power-f  and  his  feat^  and  great  authority.     This 
beaft  was  to  continue  and  iprofyQr  forty-two  prophetic  month Sy 
that  is  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty  years  ;  but   Heathea 
Rome  did  not  continue  four  hundred  years  after  this    time. 
The  woman  is  reprefented  as  the  mother  ef  idolatry^  with  her 
golden   cup  intoxicating   the  inha-nters  of  the  earth ;  but  Hea- 
then Rome  ruled  more  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  was  rather  an 
importer  of  foreign  gods  and  fuperftitions  than  an  exporter  to 
other  nations.      St.  John  vjonderedwith  great  admiration^  wherl 
he  faw  the  wo?nan  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  faints^  and  with 
the  blood  of  the   martyrs  of  Jefus ;  but  wherefore  fliould  he, 
who  had  (ttn.  and  fuffered  the  perfecutions  under  Nero,  won- 
der fo  much   that  Heathens  fhould  perfecute  Chriftians ;  but 
that  Chriftians  fhould  delight  in  fhedding  the  blood  of  Chrif- 
tians, was    indeed  of  all  wonders  the    greateft.     The  woman 
rideth  upon  the  beaft  under   the  feventh  head  or  laft   form    of 
government  \  but  the  fixth  head,  which  was  the  imperial  form 
of  goverrunent,  is  faid  to  be  fubfifting  in  St.  John's  time,  and 
the  fixth  was  not  deftroyed,  and    the  feventh  or  laft  form  did 
not  take  place,  till  after  Rome  was  become  Chriftian.     The 
ten  kings  witk\  one  mind  gave  their  power  and  flrength  unta 
the  heafiy  and  afterwards  hate  the  whore  and  make  her  defolate^ 
and  burn  her  with  fire ;  but  never  did  any  ten   kings    unani- 
moufly   and    voluntarily  fubmit  to  Heathen  Rome,  and  after- 
wards burn  her  with  fire.     Rome  according  to   the  prophecies 
is   to  be  utterly  burnt  with  fire,  and  to   be  made   a  deflation 
for  ever  and  ever :  but   Rome  hath  never  yet  undergone  this 
fate,  and   confequently  Heathen  Rome  cannot  be  the  fubje(3: 
of  thefe  prophecies.     In  ihort,  from  thefe  and  all  other  cha- 


38o  DISSERTATONS    oi^ 

ra£^ers  and  circumftances,  fome  whereof  can  never  agree  with 
Heathen  Rome,  and  all  agree  perfectly  with  Chriftian  Rome, 
it  may  and  muft  be  concluded,  tliat  not  Heathen  but  Chriftian, 
not  imperial  but  papal  Rome  was  intended  by  thefe  vifions. 

ni.  Belides  the  place  and  the  perfons,  the  time  alfo  is  figni- 
fied  of  this  tyrannical  power,  when  it  ihould  prevail,  and  how 
long  it  fhould  prevail.     Daniel  mentions  thefe  things  as  being 
at  a  very  great  diftance,  and  indeed  they  were  at  a  very  great 
diftance  in  his  time.     It  is  faid,  viii.  26. — x.  24.  "  the  vilion  is 
*  yet  for  many  days  j"  that  it   comprehends,  viii.  29.  "what 
"  Ihallbe  in  the  laft  end  of  the  indignation;"  that  it  extends, 
xi.  35,  40. — xii.  4,  9.    "  even  to  the  time  of  the  end ;"  that 
"  v/hen  God^    xii.    7.  fhall   have  accompliflied   to   fcatter  the 
"  power  of  the  holy  people,  all  thefe  things  fhall  be  finifhed :" 
all  which  and  other  pail'ages  to  the  fame  purpofe  ccnfidered,  it 
appears  as  unaccountable  as  ftrange,  that  ever  any  m.an  fhould 
imagine,  as   fome,  both  ancient  and  modern,  have   imagined, 
that  Daniel's  prophecies  reached  not  beyond  the  times  of  Anti- 
ochiis  Epiphanes.     Daniel  hath  defcribed  four  great  empires, 
not  contemporary,  but  fucceflive  one  to  another.     The  fourth 
and  laft  is  reprefented  as  the  greateft  of  all,  both  in  extent  and 
in  duration.      It  devoureth  the  whole  earthy    and  treadtth  it 
dow?i,  and  breaketh  it  in  pieces.     After  which  it  is  divided  into 
ten  kingdoms,  and  the  little  horn  groweth  not  up  till  after  this 
divifion.     So  that  this  tyrannical  power  was  to  arife  in  the  lat- 
ter days  of  the  Roman  empire,  after  it  Ihould  be  divided  into 
ten  kingdoms.     From   St.  Paul  too  we  may  collect,  that  the 
great   power  of  the   Roman  empire  hindered  the  appearing  of 
the  man  of  fen  \  but  when  that  power  fliould  be  diminiflied  and 
taken  out  of  the  ivay^  then  ^owXAthe  man  of  fin   he  revealed  in 
his  time.     St.  John  alfo  refers  thefe   events  to  the  fame  aera. 
Not  only  the  general  order  and  the  whole  feries  of  his  prophe- 
cies point  to  this  time,  but  there   are  befides  particular  intima- 
tions of  it.     He  defcribes  tie  heaji  as  fucceffor  to  tie  great  red 
dragon^  in  his  poiver^  and  his  feat^   and  great  authority :  but 
if  the  great  red  dragon  be,  as  he  is  generally  underftood  to  be, 
the  perfecuting  power  of  Heathen  Rome,  then  the  perfecuting 
power  of  Heathen  Rome  muft  be  removed,  before  the  heaJl  can 
take  his  place.     The  beaft  hath  alfo   ten  horns^  and  upon  his 
horns  ten  crowns ;  fo  that  ten  complete   kingdoms  m.uft   arife 
out  of  the  Roman  empire  before  the  appearance  of  the  beaft.- 
Of  his  feven  heads  it  is  faid,  Five  are  fallen^  that  is  in  St.  John's 


THE     PROPHECIES.  381 

time  five  forms  of  government  were  paft,  one  is  and  the  other  is 
not  yet  come^  and  the  fixth  which  was  the  prefent  being  the  im- 
perial, it  necefTarily  follows  that  the  feventh  or  laft  mult  be  fome 
form  of  government  which  mud  arife  after  the  imperial ;  and  as 
St.  John  faw  the  one,  we  fee  the  other. 

It  appears  then  that  this  AntichrilHan  power  was  to  arife  in 
the  latter  times  of  the  Roman  empire,  after  an  end  ihould  be 
put  to  the  imperial  power,  and  after  the  empire  fiiould  be  di- 
vided into  ten  kingdoms  :  and  it  is  not  only  foretold  when  it 
Ihould  prevail,  but  moreover  how  long  it  fliould  prevail.     Here 
we  cannot  but  obferve,  that  the  very  fame  period  of  time  is 
prefixed  for  its  continuance  both  by  Daniel  and  by  St.  John. 
Wonderful  is  the  confent  and  harmony  between  thefe  inipired 
writers,  as  in  other  circumftances  ofvthe  prophecy,  fo  particu- 
larly in  this.     In  Daniel,  vii.  25.  the  little  horn  was  to  "  wear 
"  out  the  faints  of  the  moft  High,  and  think  to  change  times 
'•  and  laws  j"  and  it  is  faid  exprefsly,  that  they  "  fhould  be 
"  given  into  his  hand,  until  a  time,  and  times,  and  the  divid- 
"  ing  of  time  ;"  or  as  the  fame  thing  is  exprelTed  in  another 
place,  xii.   7.  "  for  a  time,  times,  and  a  half."     In  the  Reve 
lation  it  is  faid  of  the  heajl^  (xiii.  5.)  to  vi^hom  in  like  manner 
it  was  given  to  make  vjar  with  theJaintSy  and  to  overcome  them^ 
that  ^(7W^r  alfo  w^j-  given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and  two 
inonths:  And  the  holy  city  (xi.  2.)  the  Gentiles  fnould  tread  under 
foot  forty  and  two  months :  And  tht^  two  witnejfes  (ver.  y)Jhould 
prophecy  a  thoufand  tzvo  hundred  and  threefcore  days  cloathed  in 
fackcloath:  And  the  woman  the  true  church  of  Chrift,  who  fled 
into  the  v/ildernefs  from  perfecution,  (xii.  6 — 14.)  ihould  be  fed 
and  nourifhed  there  a  thoufand  two  hundred  and  threefcore  daysy 
or  as  it  is  otherwife  exprefied  in  the  fame  chapter,  for  a  timey 
and  timesy  and  half  a  ti?ne.   Now  all  thefe  numbers  you  will  find 
upon  computation  to  be  the  fame,  and  each  of  them  to  fignify 
one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty  years.     For  a   time   is 
a  year^  and  a  time  and  times^  and  the  dividing  of  time  or  half  a 
ti?ney  are  three  years  and  a  half^  and  three  years  and  a  half  are 
forty-two  months^  and  forty-two  months  are  one  thoufand  two 
hundred  and  fixty  days^  and  one  thoufand  tzvo  hundred  and  fixty 
daysy  in  the  prophetic  ftile,  are  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and 
fixty  years.     From  all  thefe  dates  and  characters  it  may  fairly 
be  concluded,  that  the  tim.e  of  the  churches  great  aiHidtion  and 
of  the  reign  of  Antichrift  will  be  a  period  of  one  thoufand  two 
hundred  and  fixty  years. 


3S2        D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  M 

To  fix  the  time  exa6lly  when  thefe  one  thoufand  two  hun- 
dred and  fixty  years  begin,  and  confequently  when  they  will 
end,  is  a  matter  of  fome  nicenefs  and  difficulty :  and  perhaps 
we  muft  fee  their  conclufion,  before  we  can  precifely  afcertain 
their  beginning.     However  it  appears  to  be  a  very  great  mi f- 
take  of  fome  very  learned  men  in  dating  the  commencement 
of  this  period  too  early.     This  is  the  capital  error  of  Mr. 
Mede's  fchemej  what  hath  led  him,  and  others  who  have  fol- 
lowed his  example,  into  fubfequent  errors  ;  and  what  the  event 
hath  plainly  refuted.     For  if  the  reign  of  Antichrift  had  begun, 
as  he  reckons,  about  the  year  four  hundred  and  fifty-fix,  its 
end  would  have  fallen  out  about  the  year  one  thoufand  {even 
hundred  and  fixteen.     The  truth  is,  thefe  one  thoufand  two 
hundred  and  fixty  years  are  not  to  be  reckoned  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  corruptions,  from  the  rife  of  this  tyranny,  for  the 
myjlery  of  iniquity  began  to  work  even  in  the  days  of  the  apo- 
illes ;  but  from  their  full  growth  and  eftablifhmentin  the  world. 
Of  the  little  horn^  who  was  to  wear  out  the  faints  of  the  moj} 
High^  and  to  change  times  and  laws^  it  is  faid  that  they  J])0uld 
be  given  into  his  hand^  which  can  imply  no  lefs  than  the  moft 
abfolute  power  and  authority  over  them,  until  a  time^  and  times^ 
and  the  dividing  of  time.     In  like  manner  the  holy  city^  the 
true  church  of  Chrift,  was  to  be  trodden  under  foot^  which  is 
the  loweft  ftate  of  fubjectlon ;  the  two  witnejfes  were  not  only 
to  prophecy^  but  to  prophecy  in  fackcloth^  that  is  in  mourning 
and  affli<5tion  j  the  wonian^  the  church,  was  to  abide  in  the  wil- 
dernefs^  that  is  in  a  forlorn  and  defolute  condition;  2Lnd poiuer 
was  given  to  the  beaji  not  merely  to  continue  as  it  is  tranflated, 
but  to  praStife  and  profper^  and  to  do  according   to  his  will  j 
and  all  for  this  fame  period  of  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and 
fixty  years.     Thefe  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty  years 
therefore  of  the  reign  of  Antichrift  are  not  to  be  computed 
from  his  birth,  or  infancy,  or  youth;  but  from  his  coming  tp 
maturity,   from  his  coming  to  the  throne :  and  in  my  opinion 
their  beginning  cannot  be  fixed  confident  with  the  truth  of  hif- 
tory  either  fooner  or  later  than  in  the  eighth  century.     Seve- 
ral memorable  events  happened  in  that  century.     In  the  {a) 
year  kven  hundred  and  twenty-feven  the  Pope  and  the  people  of 
Rome  revolted  from  the  exarch  of  Ravenna,  and   (hook  ofF 
their  allegiance  to  the  Greek  emperor.     In  the  year  feven  hun- 


{a)  See  Sigonius.  Spvinhcim,  Dupin,  kc,  &c. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  833 

tired  and  fifty-five  the  pope  obtained  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna 
for  himfelf,  and  henceforwards  aded  as  an  abfolute  temporal 
prince.  In  the  year  feven  hundred  and  feventy-four  the  Pope 
by  the  afliftance  ^of  Charles  the  great  became  pofTefTed  of  the 
kingdom  of  the  Lombards.  In  the  year  feven  hundred  and 
ejghty-feven  the  worfhip  of  images  v.^as  fully  eftablifhed,  and 
the  fupremacy  of  the  Pope  acknowledged  by  the  fecond  coun- 
cil of  Nice.  From  one  or  other  of  thefe  tranfa(Stions  it  is  pro- 
bable, that  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Antichrift  is  to  be  da- 
ted. What  appears  to  be  moft  probable  is,  that  it  is  to  be  dated 
from  the  year  feven  hundred  and  tvventy-feven,  when  (as  (^7) 
Sigonius  fays)  Rome  and  the  Roman  dukedom  came  from  the 
Greeks  to  the  Roman  pontiff.  Hereby  he  became  in  fome  mea- 
fure  a  horn  or  temporal  prince,  though  his  power  was  not  fully 
eftablifhed  till  fome  years  afterwards:  and  before  he  was  a 
horn  at  all,  he  could  not  anfwer  the  chara(5er  of  the  little  horn. 
If  then  the  beginning  of  the  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and 
fixty  years  of  the  reign  of  Antichrift  is  to  be  dated  from  the 
year  i^v^v).  hundred  and  twenty-feven,  their  end  will  fall  near 
the  year  two  thoufand  after  Chrift  ;  and  at  the  end  of  the  fix 
thoufandth  year  of  the  world,  according  to  a  very  early  tradi- 
tion of  Jews  and  Chriftians,  and  even  of  Heathens,  great 
changes  and  revolutions  are  expected  both  in  the  natural  and  in 
the  moral  world ;  and  there  remaineth^  according  to  the  words 
of  the  apoftle,  Hebr.  iv.  9.  "  a  fabbatifm  or  holy  reft  to  the 
people  of  God." 

IV.  What  Daniel  hath  defcribed  under  the  character  of 
the  little  horn^  and  the  blafphemous  king;  what  St.  Paul  hath 
defcribed  under  the  character  of  the  man  of  Jin^  the  fon  of 
perdition ;  what  St.  John  hath  defcribed  under  the  chara<5ler 
of  the  beafly  and  the  falfe  prophet ;  that  fame  tyrannical,  ido- 
latrous, and  blafphemous  power,  •ecclefiaftical  writers  ufuallv 
denominate  Antichrifi :  and  having  thus  far  traced  his  character 
and  defcription,  his  rife,  progrefs,  and  continuance,  let  us 
now  proceed  to  confider  his  fall,  when  at  the  expiration  of 
the  prefixed  period  of  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty 
years. his  kingdomjfhall  be  deftroyed  forevermore.  The  pro- 
phets are  not  more  expreflive  of  his  elevation,  than  they  are 
of  his   deftru6tion.     They  not  only   predidl  his  downfal  in 


(rt)  ItaRoma,RomanufqueDucatus  aGraecis  ad  Romanumponti- 
ficem — pervenit.  Sigon.Hilt.  de  Regno  Ital.  Lib.  3.-  Ad.  Ann.  727, 


384         D  I  S  S  E  R  T  A  T  I  O  N  S    o  N 

general  terms,  but  alfo  dcfcrlbe  the  manner  and  circumftanccs 
of  it:  and  St.  John's  account  being  larger,  and  more  circum- 
flantial  and  particular,  will  be  the  beil:  comment  and  explana- 
tion of  the  others.  For  my  part  I  cannot  pretend  to  prophecy, 
which  is  the  common  vanity  of  expofitors  of  the  Revelation; 
I  can  only  reprefent  events  in  the  order  vi^herein  according  to 
my  apprehenfion  the  prophets  have  placed  them.  Sobriety 
and  modefty  are  ret]uired  in  the  interpretation  of  all  prophe- 
cies, and  efpecially  in  the  explication  of  things  yet  future. 
Only  this  much  it  may  be  proper  to  premife,  that  having  ken 
fo  many  of  the  prophecies  fulfilled,  you  have  the  lefs  reafon 
to  doubt  of  the  completion  of  thofe  which  are  to  follow. 

Atthis  prefent  time  we  are  living  under  the  ftxth  triwipet^ 
and  the  fecond  ivoe  i  (Rev.  xi.)  the  Othman  empire  is  ftill 
fubfifting,  the  beaft  is  ftill  reigning,  and  there  are  proteftant 
witnefies  fliil  prcphefying  in  fackcloth  :  and  this  /Ixth  trumpet 
Tindifecoudzvoe  muft  end,  before  the  feventh  trumpet  can  found, 
or  the  third  woe  be-  poured  out,  which  is  to  fall  upon  the 
kingdom  of  the  beaft.  But  before  the  end  of  the  fecond 
woe^  it  would  feem  that  the  papifts  will  make  a  great 
fuccefsful  effort  againft  the  proteftant  religion.  When 
the  witneftes  /hall  have  near  finijhed  their  tejiimony^  that  is 
towards  the  conckifion  of  their  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and 
fixty  years,  the  hcajl  Jhall  make  war  againji  thein^  and  /hall 
cvercome  them.  They  ftiall  lie  opprefled  and  dead  as  it  were, 
to  the  great  joy  and  trium.ph  of  their  enemies;  but  they  fhall 
rife  again  after  three  years  and  a  half^  and  the  proteftant  re- 
ligion fliall  become  more  glorious  than  ever,  v/ith  a  confider- 
able  diminution  of  the  papal  authoritv.  According  to  the 
method  and  order  wherein  St.  John  hath  arranged  thefe  events, 
they  muft  liappen  before  the  end  of  the  fecond  woe^  or  the 
fall  of  the  Othman  empire.'  Ezekiel  (xxxviii.  xxxix.)  and 
Daniel  (xi.  44,  45.)  have  given  fome  intimations,  that  the 
Othmaa  empire  fhall  be  over  thrown  in  oppofmg  the  fettle- 
ment  of  Ifrael  in  their  own  land  in  the  latter  days.  In  the 
conclufion  of  the  book  of  Daniel  there  arc  alfo  fome  intima- 
tions, that  the  religion  of  Mohammed  fhall  prevail  in  the  caft 
for  as  long  a  period  of  time  as  the  tyranny  of  the  little  horn 
in  the  weft.  Very  remarkable  too  it  is,  that  (^)  Mohammed 
firft  contrived  his  impofturc  in  the  year  fix  hundred  and  fix, 


{a)  Sec  Pridcaux's  Life  of  Mahomet. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  385 

the  very  rame  year  wherein  the  tyrant  Phocas  made  a  grant  of 
the  fupreniacy  to  the  Pope  ;  and  this  might  incline  one  to  think 
that  the  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  lixty  years  of  the  reign 
of  Antichrift  are  to  be  dated  from  this  time.  But  though  they 
might  rife  together,  yet  they  were  not  fully  eifabliihed  toge- 
ther. The  authority  of  Mohammed  might  be  fully  eitabliincd 
in  the  fevxnth  century,  but  that  of  the  Pope  was  not  (o  till  the 
eighth  century ;  and  therefore,  as  the  one  was  eftablimed  fome- 
what  fooner,  fo  it  may  alfo  be  fubverted  fornewhat  fooner  than 
the  other.  The  Pope  indeed  was  cik-dbViQicd  fupreme  in  fpiri- 
tuals  in  the  feventh  century,  but  he  became  not  a  temporal  horn 
or  I?e(i/i  till  the  eighth  century. 

When  the  Othman  empire  Is  overthrown,  and  the  fecond 
woe  is  paJf^thQn  according  to  St.  John  (xi.  14.)  the  third  woe 
Cometh  quickly^  which  comprehends  all  the  fevere  and  terrible 
judgments  of  God  upon  the  kingdom  of  the  beafl:.  In  like 
manner  when  Daniel  hath  predicted  the  fall  of  the  king  of  the 
northy  or  of  the  Othman  empire,  he  fubjoins  immediatelv,  (xii. 
I.)  that  "  there  fhall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  fuch  as  never  was 
"  fmce  there  was  a  nation,  even  to  that  fame  time  \  and  at 
"  that  time  thy  people  fhall  be  delivered,  every  one  that  fhall 
"  be  found  written  in  the  book;"  agreeably  to  which  St. 
John  alfo  faith,  (xx.  15.)  "  that  whofoevcr  was  not  found  writ- 
"  ten  in  the  book  of  life,  was  cafl  into  the  lake  of  fire.'' 
The  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and  fixty  years  of  the  reign  of 
the  beaft,  I  fuppofe,  end  with  the  one  thoufand  two  hundred 
and  fixty  years  of  the  witnefles  propheiying  in  fackcloth ;  and 
now  the  cleftined  time  is  come  for  the  judgments  of  God  to 
overtake  him ;  for  as  he  might  exift  before  the  one  thoufand 
two  hundred  and  fixty  years  began,  fo  he  may  exift  likevvife 
after  they  are  finifhed,  in  order  to  be  made  an  eminenf:  exam- 
pie  of  divine  juftice.  For  the  greater  confirmation  and  illuf- 
tration  of  this  fubje6t,  and  to  make  the  ftronger  inipreiliorj 
upon  the  minds  of  the  readers,  thefe  j  udgments  are  difplayed 
under  a  variety  of  figures  and  reprefentations.  Firft  they  are 
defcribed  in  a  more  general  manner,  (Rev.  »iv.)  as  "  the  har- 
"  veft  and  reaping,  of  the  earth,'*  and  as  *'  the  vintage  apd 
"  wine-prefs  of  the  wrath  of  God."  Then  they  are  repre- 
fented  in  a  more  particular  manner,  (Rev.  xv.  xvl.)  as  ^'  the 
"  {t\tn  vials,  or  the  i^^f^n  laft  plagues,  for  in  them  is  filled 
"  up  the  wrath  of  God;"  which  are  fo  many  fi^nal  judg- 
ments upon  the  kingdom  of  the  beaft,  and  fo  many  fteps  and 
Vol.  IL  C  c  c 


386        DISSERTATIONS    on 

degrees  of  his  ruin.  Afterwards  the  fall  of  Rome  is  delineated 
(Rev.xvii.  xviii.)  as  of  another  Babylon ;  and  it  is  declared 
that  fhe  fliali  be  delhoyed  by  fire,  and  her  deftrucSlion  (hall  be 
a  complete  and  total  dellrudion,  fuch  as  hath  never  yet  been  the 
fate  ot  Rome.  Some  of  the  princes,  who  were  once  of  her 
communion,  Jha II  hate  her  as  much  as  they  loved  her,  and  burn 
her  with  fire.  It  is  farther  intimated  that  fhe  fhall  be  fwallow- 
ed  up  by  a  fubterraneous  fire,  fhall  fmk  like  a  great  mill/tone  in 
the  fea,  and  her  fimoke  Jhall  rife  up  for  ever  and  ever  :  and  the 
foil  and  fituation  of  Rome  and  the  neighbouring  countries 
greatly  favour  fuch  a  fuppofition.  As  St.  John  faith,  (xi.  8.) 
fhe  "  fpiritually  is  called  Sodom-,"  and  fhe  fhall  refemble  So- 
dom in  her  punifhment  as  well  as  in  her  crimes.  After  the 
fubverfion  of  the  capital  city,  (Rev.  xix.)  "  the  beaft  and  the 
"  falfe  prophet,'*  the  powers  civil  and  ecclefiaftical,  with  thofe 
who  flill  adhere  to  their  party,  fhall  make  one  effort  more  ;  but 
it  fhall  prove  as  weak  and  vain,  as  it  is  impious  ;  th&y  jh a  11  Loth 
be  taken,  and  caji  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimjhne. 
The  deftrudion  of  Antichrifl,  therefore,  of  himfelf  as  well  as 
of  his  feat,  fhall  be  in  a  terrible  manner  ^^yzr^.  Daniel  ailerts 
the  fame  thing,  (vii.  ii.)  "I  beheld  then  becaufe  of  the  voice 
"  of  the  great  words  which  the  horn  fpake,  1  beheld  even  till 
"  the  beafl  was  flain,  and  his  body  deff royed,  and  given  to  the 
"  burning  flame."  So  likewife  faith  St.  Paul,  2  Thef.  i.  7,  8. 
*'  The  Lord  Jefus  fhall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his 
*'  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them 
*'  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gofpel  of  our 
*'  Lord  Jefus  Chrift :"  and  more  particularly,  (ii.8.)  "  The 
*^  Lord  fliall  confume  the  wicked  one,"  the  man  of  fm,  "  with 
*'  the  fpirit  of  his  mouth,  and  fnall  defiroy  him  with  the  bright- 
**  nefs  of  his  coming." 

About  the  time  of  the  fall  of  the  Othman  empire  and  of 
the  Chriffian  Antichrifl-,  the  Jews  fhall  turn  to  the  Lord,  and 
be  rcffored  to  their  own  land.  Innumerable  are  the  prophecies 
concerning  the  converfion  and  refforation  of  this  people. — 
Hear  only  what  Hofea  faith,  who  prophefied  before  the  cap- 
tivity of  the  ten  tribes  of  Ifrael,  (iii.  4,  5.)  "The  children  of 
"  Ifrael  fhall  abide  many  days  without  a  king,  and  without  a 
^'  prince,  and  without  a  facrificc,  and  without  an  image  (or 
"  altar)  and  v/ithout  an  ephod,  and  without  teraphim  (or  di- 
*'  vine  manifeffations : )  Afterward  fhall  the  children  of  Ifrael 
**  return,  and  feek  the  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  king, 


THE    PROPHECIES  387 

«  and  ihall  fear  the  Lord  and  his  goodnefs  in  the  latter  days." 
Here  alio  what  Ezekiel  faith,  who  prophefied  during  the  cap- 
tivity of  the  two  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  (xxxvii.  21, 
25.)  "  Thus  faith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  I  will  take  thechil- 
"  dren  of  Ifrael  from  among  the  heathen,  whether  they  be 
"  gohe,  and  will  gather  them  on  every  fide,  and  bring  them 
«  into  their  own  land  :  And  they  fhall  dwell  in  the  land  that 
<'  I  have  given  unto  Jacob  my  fervant,  wherein  your  fathers 
"  have  dwelt,  and  they  fhall  dwell  therein,  even  they  and 
"  their  children,  and  their  childrcns  children  for  ever,  and 
"  my  fervant  David  fhall  be  their  prince  for  ever."  (xxxix.  28, 
29.)  "  Then  fhall  they  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  their  God, 
"  who  caufed  them  to  be  led  into  captivity  among  the  heathen, 
"  but  I  have  gathered  them  unto  their  own  land,  and  have  left 
"  none  of  them  any  more  there :  Neither  will  I  hide  my 
"  face  any  more  from  them ;  for  I  have  poured  out  my  fpirit 
"  upon  the  houfe  of  Ifrael,  faith  the  Lord  God.'*  Ye  cannot 
but  remember  what  St.  Paul  faith  upon  the  fame  occafion,  Rom. 
xi.  25.  "  I  would  not,  brethren,  that  ye  fliould  be  ignorant  of 
"  this  myftery,  that  blindnefs  in  part  is  happened  to  Ifrael,  un- 
"  til  the  fuinefs  of  the  Gentiles  be  come,  and  fo  all  Ifrael 
"  fhall  be  faved."  Now  thefe  and  the  like  predidions,  we  fup- 
pofe,  will  take  efFe6l,  and  this  great  revolution  be  accomplifh- 
ed,  about  the  time  of  the  fail  of  the  Othman  empire,  and  of 
the  Chriflian  Antichrlft.  Ezekiel's  Gog  and  Magogs  (xxxviii. 
xxxix.)  we  believe  to  be  the  Turks  or  Othmans, and  they  Jh all 
come  up  againjl  the  children  of  Ifrael  in  the  latter  days  to  op- 
pofe  their  refettlement  in  their  own  land,  and  they  Jl) all  fall 
in  fome  extraordinary  manner  upon  the  mountains  of  Ifraely 
they  and  the  people  that  is  with  the?n  :  fo  the  houfe  of  Ifrael 
jhall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  their  God,  from  that  day  and 
forward.  Daniel  too,  xi.  45.  xii.  i.  predids  the  fall  of  the 
king  of  the  north  "  upon  the  glorious  holy  mountain:  And 
*'  at  that  time  fhall  Michael  fland  up,  the  great  prince  who 
"  fl:andeth  for  the  children  of  Ifrael."  The  refloration  of  the. 
Jews  and  the  fall  of  Antichrifl  fhall  alfo  happen  about  the 
fame  time.  \{  the  fixth  vial  (Rev.  xvi.  12.)  which  is  poured 
out  upon  the  great  river  Euphrates,  whofe  zuaters  are  dried  up 
to  prepare  a  paffagefor  the  kings  of  the  eaji,  is  to  be  underftood, 
as  Mr.  Mede  and  others  think,  of  the  return  of  the  Jews  ; 
then  the  return  of  the  Jews  is  one  of  the  kv^n  laft  plagues 
of  Antichrifl.     But  this  notion  is  exprefTed  more  clearly  in 


388         DISSERTATIONS     on 

Daniel,  as  it  more  immediately  concerned  his  people,  xl.  36. 
"  He  Ihali  profper  till  the  iudignation,'*  that  is  God's  indig- 
nation againft  the  Jews,  "  be  accompiifhed :"  and  again  after- 
wards, xii.  y.  "  When  God  fhall  have  accompliftied  to  fcat- 
"  ter  the  power  of  the  holy  people,  all  thefe  things  (hall  be 
"  finllhed/*  In  confequence  and  concormity  to  this  docSlrine  a 
tradition  hath  prevailed  {a)  among  the  Jews,  that  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  Rome  and  the  redemption  of  Ifrael  ihall  fall  out  about 
the  fame  time. 

When  thefe  great  events  fhall  come  to  pafs,  of  which  we 
collect  from  the  prophecies  this  to  be  the  proper  order ;  the 
proteftant  witneiies  ihall  be  greatly  exalted,  and  the  one  tbou- 
fand  two  hundred  aiid  Axty  y<^ars  of  their  oioohecying  in  fack- 
cldth  and  of  the  tyranny  of  the  beaft  fhali  end  together;  the 
converiion  and  reiteration  of  the  Jews  fucceed ;  then  follows 
the  ruin  of  the  Othman  empire,  and  then  the  total  deftru6lion 
of  Rome  and  of  Antichrill.  When  thefe  great  events,  I  fav, 
(hail  come  to  pafs,  then  (hall  the  kingdom  of  Chriif  commence, 
or  tiie  reign  of  the  faints  upon  earth.  So  Daniel  exprefsly  in- 
forms us,  that  the  kingdom  of  Chrlil:  and  the  faints  will  be 
raifed  upon  the  ruins  of  the  kingdom  of  Antichrift;  vii.  26, 
27.  "  But  the  judgment  ihall  lit,  and  they  fhall  take  av.'ay  his 
"  don-jnion,  to  conlum.e,  and  to  deitroy  it  unto  the  end  :  And 
"  the  kingdom,  and  dominion,  and  the  greatnefs  of  the  king- 
"  dom  under  the  whole  heaven,  fhall  be  given  to  the  people 
"  of  the  faints  of  the  moft  High,  whofe  kingdom  is  an  ever- 
"  lafling  kingdom,  and  all  dominion  /hall  ferve  and  obey  him." 
So  likewife  S;.  John  faith,  that  upon  the  final  deftru(5lion  of 
the  beaft  and  the  falfe  propkct^  Rev.  xx.  "  Satan  is  bound  for 
*'  a  thoufand  years:  And  I  faw  thrones,  and  they  fat  upon 
*'  them,  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them:  and  I  faw 
"  the  fouls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witnefs  of 
"  Jefusand  for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worfhip- 
"  ped  the  beaft,  neither  hi^  image,  neither  had  received  his 
"  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands ;  and  they 
"  lived  and  reigned  with  Chrift  a  thoufand  years  :  But  the 
"  reft  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  ihe  thoufand  years 
"  werefinifhed.  I'his  is  thefirft  refurre6tion."  It  is,  I  conceive, 
to  thefe  great  events,  the  fall  of  Antichrift,  the  re-eftablifti- 
ment  of  the  Jews,  and  the  beginning  of  the  glorious  millen- 

(«)  See  Placita  Hebrasorum  do  Doftorum  Babylonis  feu  Romx 
exeidio  in  Mcde's  Works.  l3.  5.  Cap.  8.  V.  902. 


THE     PROPHECIES.  389 

tii'im,  that  the  three  different  dates  in  Daniel  of  one  thoufand 
two  hundred  and  fixty  years,  one  thoufand  two  hundred  and 
ninety  years,  and  one  thoufand  three  hundred  and  thirty-five 
years  are  to  be  referr  d  :  and  as  Daniel  faith,  xii.  12.  "  Blefied 
"  is  he  that  waiteth  and  cometh  to  the  one  thoufand  three 
"  hundred  and  thirty-five  years  j"  fo  St.  John  faith,  xx.  6. 
"  BlefTed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  firft  refurredlion." 
Bleffed  and  happy  indeed  will  be  this  period;  and  it  is  very 
obfervable,  that  the  martyrs  and  confeflbrs  of  Jefus,  in  PopiOi 
as  well  as  in  Pagan  times,  will  be  raifed  to  partake  of  this  feli- 
city. Then  iliall  all  thofe  gracious  promifes  in  the  eld  Tefta- 
ment  be  fulfilled  of  the  amplitudj  and  extent,  of  the  peace 
and  profperity,  of  the  glory  and  happinefs  of  the  church  ia  the 
latter  days.  Then  in  the  full  fenfe  of  the  words,  Rev.  xi.  15. 
"  fhall  the  kingdom.s  of  this  world  become  the  kingdoms  of 
"ixour  Lord  and  of  his  Chrift,  and  he  fhall  reign  forever  and 
"  ever.-"  According  to  [a)  tradition  thefe  thoufand  years  of 
the  reign  of  Chrift  and  the  faints  v/ill  be  the  fe\'enth  millen- 
nary  of  the  world  ;  for  as  God  created  the  world  in  fix  days 
andreftedon  the  feventh,  fo  the  world,  it  is  argued,  will  con- 
tinue fix  thoufand  years,  and  the  fcvcnth  thoufand  will  be  the 
great  fabhatij'm  or  holy  reft  to  the  people  of  God ;  "  one 
"  dav  (2  Pet.  iii.  8.)  being  with  the  Lord  as  a  thoufand  years, 
"  and  a  thoufand  years  as  one  day."  According  to  (/>)  tradi- 
tion too  thefe  thoufand  years  of  the  reign  of  Chrift  and  the 
faints  are  the  great  day  of  yudgment ;  in  the  morning  or  begin- 
ning whereof  ftiall  be  the  coming  of  Chrift  in  flaming  fire,  and 
the  particular  judgment  of  Antichrift,  and  the  firft  refurreclion, 
and  in  the  evening  or  conclufion  whereof  fhall  be  the  general 
refurrection  of  the  dQ2id,fmaIi  aiid  great^  and  they  Jhall  be  judg- 
ed every  man  according  to  their  works. 

Prudence  as  well  as  modefty  requires,  that  we  fliould  for- 
bear all  curious  inquiries  into  the  nature  and  condition  of  this 
future  kingdom  ;  as  how  Satan  fhould  be  bound  for  a  thoufand 
years,  and  afterwards  loofed  again;  how  the  raifed  faints  fhall 
cohabit  with  the  living,  and  judge  and  govern  the  world;  how 
Chrift  fhall  manifeft  himfelf  to  them,  and  reign  among  them ; 
how  the  new  Jerufalem,  the  city  and  church  of  the  living  God, 
fhall  defcend  from  heaven  to  earth ;  how  Satan  fhall  at  laft  de- 
■  ■  ■  ■ 

{a)  See  Burnet's  Theory.  B.  3.  Ch.  5.  B.  4.  Ch.  6. 

[b)  See  piacita  Hcbraeorum  Doftorum  de  Magno  die  Judicii  in 
Mede.  P.  535.  B.  5.  Ch.  3.  P.  892, 


390         DISSERTATIONS    on 

ceive  the  nations,  and  what  nations  they  fhall  be.  Thefe  arc 
points  which  the  holy  Spirit  hath  not  thought  fit  to  explain  j 
and  folly  may  eafily  afk  more  (^ueftions  about  them,  than  wif- 
dom  can  anfwer.  VVirdoni  in  the  myfterious  things  of  God, 
and  efpecially  in  the  myfterious  things  of  futurity,  will  ftill 
adhere  to  the  words  of  fcripture ;  and  having  ken  the  com- 
pletion of  fo  many  particulars,  will  reft  contented  with  believ- 
ing that  thefe  (hall  alfo  be,  without  knowing  how  they  fhall  be. 
It  is  of  the  nature  of  moft  prophecies  not  to  be  fully  underftood, 
till  they  are  fully  accomplifhed:  and  efpecially  prophecies  rela- 
ting to  a  ftate  fo  different  from  the  prefent  as  the  millennium. 
Perfectly  to  comprehend  thefe  and  all  other  prophecies  may 
conftitute  a  part  of  the  happinefs  of  that  period,  for  then  they 
will  all  be  fulfilled,  and  the  inyjiery  of  God  Jhall  he  fini/hed. 
This  however  is  very  evident,  that  wickednefs  would  foon 
overrun  the  world,  if  not  reft  rained  by  an  overruling  provi- 
dence; for  no  fooner  is  Satan  loofed  again,  than /^^  nations 
which  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth  come  up  againft 
the  holy  city,  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the  fand  of  the  fea : 
And  therefore  at  the  time  appointed,  after  the  general  judg- 
ment, this  world ftiall  be deftroyed,  2  Pet.  iii.  lo.  "the heavens 
"  fhall  pafs  away  with  a  great  noife,  and  the  elements  fhall 
"  melt  with  fer\'ent  heat,  the  earth  alio,  and  the  works  that  are 
"  therein  fhall  be  burnt  up."  Tlius,  Rev.  xxi.  i.  "  the  firft  hea- 
"  ven  and  the  firft  earth  fhall  pafs  away,"  and  a  new  heaven  and 
a  new  ^^r/^*fhall  fucceed,  2  Pet.  iii.  13.  "  wherein  dwelleth 
"  righteoufnefs  j"  Rev.  xxi.  3,  4.  "  God  himfelf  fhall  be  with 
"  men,  and  be  their  God ;  and  there  fhall  be  no  more  death, 
*'  neither  forrow  nor  pain,  for  the  former  things  are  paffed 
"  away."  i  Cor.  xv.  24,  &c.  "  Then  cometh  the  end,  when 
"  Chrift  fhall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the 
"  Father;  when  hefhall  have  putdown  all  rule,  and  all  authority 
"  and  power.  For  he  muft  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies 
"  under  his  feet;  the  laft  enemy  that  fhall  bedeftroyed  is  death. 
"  And  when  all  things  fhall  be  fubdued  unto  him,  then  fliali 
"  the  Son  ahb  himfelf  be  fubjccSf  unto  him  that  put  all  things 
"  under  him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all." 

Since  then  tlie  corruptions  of  popery  are  fo  particularly 
foretold  in  fcripture,  and  make  fo  confiderable  a  part  of  the 
ancient  prophecies,  we  have  the  lefs  reafon  to  be  furprifed  and 
offended  at  them.  While  the  papifts  endeavour  to  corrupt  and 
adulterate  the  docStrincs  of  the  prophets  and  apoftles,  they  ftill 


THE    PROPHECIES.  391 

accomplifli  their  predi6lions ;  while  they  labour  to  deftroy 
Chnitianity  in  one  part,  they  unwittingly  confirm  and  eftablifh 
it  in  another.  And  fince  a  time  is  certamly  coming,  wherein 
God  will  avenge  himfelf  on  thefe  idolaters,  and  require  the 
blood  of  his  lervants  at  their  hands,  let  us  wait  w^'w^  the  faith 
and  the  patience  of  faints^  till  it  be  accomplifhed.  We  have 
{^zvi  the  prophecies  remarkably  fulfilled  in  their  fuccefs,  and  we 
fhall  fee  them  as  remarkably  fulfilled  too  in  their  deftruction. 
The  power  of  the  Pope  is  nothing  near  fo  great  now  as  it  was 
fome  ages  ago:  It  received  its  death  wound  at  the  Reformation, 
of  which  it  may  ianguilli  for  a  time,  but  will  never  entirely  re- 
cover, though  its  lalt  llruggles  and  efforts,  like  thofe  of  a  dy- 
ing monfter,  may  be  terrible  and  dangerous.  In  the  end,  the 
gofpel  will  prevail  over  all  enemies  and  oppofers  :  Matt.  xxi.  44. 
"  Whofoever  (hall  fall  on  this  ftone,  fhall  be  broken  ;  but  on 
"  whomfoever  it  (hall  fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder."  We 
will  conclude  our  difcourfe  with  the  words  of  Ezra,  fo  very  ap- 
plicable to  us  of  the  reformed  religion:  ix.  13,  14.  "After 
"  all  that  is  come  upon  us  for  our  evil  deeds,  and  for  our  great 
"  trefpafs,  feeing  that  thou  our  God  haft  puniftied  us  lefs  than 
"  our  iniquities  deferve,  and  haft  given  us  fuch  deliverance  as 
"  this,"  a  deliverance  from  the  yoke  and  tyranny  of  the  church 
of  Rome ;  "  ftiould  we  again  break  thy  commandments,  and 
"  join  in  affinity  with  the  people  of  thefe  abominations,  wouldft 
"  thou  not  be  angry  with  us  till  thou  hadft  confumed  us,  fo  that 
**  there  (hould  be  no  remnant  nor  efcaping  ?" 


392         DISSERTATIONS    ok 


CONCLUSION 


FROM  thefe  inftances,  which-  have  been  produced,  of 
prophecies  and  their  completioRs,  it  is  hoped,  this  con- 
ciuhon  may  fairly  be  drawn  in  the  words  of  St.  Peter,  2  Pet, 
i.  20,  21.  that  "  no  prophecy  of  the  fcripture  is  of  any  pri- 
"  vate  interpretation,"  or  the  fuggeftion  of  any  man's  own 
fpirit  or  fancy ;  "  for  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the 
"  will  of  man,  but  holy  men  of  God  fpake  as  they  were  mo- 
"  ved  by  the  holy  Ghoft."  Other  inftances  might  have  been 
alledged  to  the  fame  purpofe  :  but  thofe  prophecies  which  re- 
ceived their  full  accomplifhment  in  ancient  times,  and  even 
thofe  which  were  accomplifhed  in  the  perfon  and  actions  of  our 
blefled  Saviour,  are  not  here  coniidered  ;  fuch  only  as  relate  to 
thefe  latter  ages,  and  either  in  the  v.'hole  or  in  part  are  now  ful- 
filling in  the  world,  are  made  the  fubjecl  of  thefe  diil'ertations. 
'JThis  is  proving  our  religion  in  fome  meafure  by  ocular  demon- 
ftration,  is  not  zvalking  by  faith  only^  but  alfo  hy  fight.  For 
you  can  have  no  rcaioa  to  doubt  of  the  truth  of  prophecy,  and 
confequently  of  the  truth  of  revelation,  when  you  fee  inflances 
of  things,  which  could  no  ways  depend  upon  human  conjecture, 
foretold  with  the  grcateft  clearnefs,  and  fulfilled  hundreds  of 
years  afterwards  with  the  greateft  exacl^nefs.  Nay  you  fee  pro- 
phecies, the  lateft  whereof  were  delivered  about  one  thoufand 
feven  hundred  years  ago,  and  fome  of  them  above  three  thou- 
fand years  ago,  fulfilling  at  this  very  time,  and  cities,  countries, 
and  kingdoms  in  the  very  fime  condition,  and  all  brought  about 
in  the  very  fame  manner,  and  v/ith  the  very  fame  circumftances, 
as  the  prophets  had  foretold. 

You  fee  the  afcendents  of  Shem  and  Japheth  ruling  and 
inlarged  in  Afia  and  Europe,  and  perhaps  in  America,  and 
the  ciirfe  of  fervitude  flill  attending  the  wretched  defcendents 
of  Ham  in  Africa.  You  fee  the  poflerity  of  Ifhmael  ?nultipHed 
exceedingly^  and  become  a  great  ?iation  in  the  Arabians ;  yet 
Jiving  like  wild  men^  and  fliifting  from  place  to  place  in  the 
wildernefsj  their    hand  cigainjl  every    vian^  and  every  inan's 


THE    PROPHECIES.  393 

hand  againji  them\  and  ftill  (hvelUng  and  independent  and  free 
people,  in  the  prefence  of  all  their  brethren^  and  in  the  prefence 
of  all  their  enemies.  You  fee  the  family  of  Efau  totally  ex- 
tin6t,  and  that  of  Jacob  fubfifting  at  this  day;  the  fceptre  de^ 
parted  from  Judah^  and  the  people  living  no  where  in  autho- 
rity, every  where  in  fubjedion;  the  Jews  'i!(\\i  divelUng  alone 
among  the  nations^  while  the  remembrance  of  Amalek  is  utterly 
put  out  from  under  heaven.  You  fee  the  Jews  feverely  pun- 
ifhed  for  their  infidelity  and  difobediencc  to  their  great  prophet 
like  unto  Mofes  ;  plucked  fro7n  off  their  own  land^  and  removed 
into  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  \  oppreffed  and  fpoiled  ever- 
more^  and  made  a  proverb  and  a  by-vjord  arfiong  all  nations.—^ 
You  fee  Ephrai?nfo  broken  as  to  be  no  more  a  people^  while  the 
whole  nation  is  comprehended  under  the  name  of  Judah ;  the 
Jews  wonderfully  preferved  as  a  diftin6l  people,  while  their 
great  conquerors  are  every  where  deftroyed  ;  their  land  lying 
defolate,  and  themfelves  cut  off  from  being  the  people  of  God, 
while  the  Gentiles  are  advanced  in  their  room.  You  fee  Ni- 
neveh fo  completely  deftroyed,  that  the  place  thereof  is  not, 
and  cannot  be  known :  Babylon  made  a  defolation  for  ever,  a 
poffeffion  for  the  bittern,  and  pools  of  water  \  Tyre  become  like 
the  top  of  a  rock,  a  place  for  fijhers  to  fpread  their  nets  upon: 
and  Egypt  a  bafe  kingdom^  the  bafef}  of  the  kingdoms,  and  ftill' 
tributary  and  fubje61:  to  ft  rangers.  You  fee  of  the  four  great 
empires  of  the  world  the  fourth  and  laft,  which  was  greater 
and  more  powerful  than  any  of  the  former,  divided  in  the 
weftern  part  thereof  into  ten  lefler  kingdoms  ;  and  among  them 
a  power  with  a  triple  crown  divers  from  thefirji,  with  a  ?nouth 
fpeaking  very  great  things,  and  with  a  look  more  flout  than  hit 
fellows,  fpeaking  great  words  againfi  the  mofi  High,  wearing 
out  the  faints  of  the  mofi  High,  and  changing  times  and  laws. 
You  fee  a  power  cafi  down  the  truth  to  the  ground,  andprofper 
and  pracfife,  and  defiroy  the  holy  people,  not  regarding  the  God 
of  his  fathers,  nor  the  defire  of  wives,  but  honouring  Mahuz.zimy 
Gods-prote6lors,  or  faints-prote6lors,  and  caufing  the  priefts  of* 
Mahuzzim  to  rule  .over  many,  and  divide  the  land  for  gain. 
You  fee  theTurksflretching forth  their  handover  the  countries^ 
and  particularly  over  the  land  of  Egypt,  theLybians  at  their flepSy 
and  the  Arabians  ftill  efcaping  out  of  their  hand.  You  fee  the 
Jews  led  away  captive  into  all  nations,  and  Jerufale?n  troden 
down  of  the  Gentiles,  and  likely  to  continue  fo  until  the  ti?nes  of 
the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled^  as  the  Jews  are  by  a  conftant  miracle  pre- 
VoL.  11.  D  d  d 


394         DISSERTATIONS    on 

ferved  adiftinct  people  for  the  completion  of  other  prophecies 
relating  to  them.  You  fee  one  who  oppojeth  and  exalteth  him- 
fe If  ?ihovQ.  all  laws  divine  and  hnm^in-,  fitting  as  God  in  the 
church  of  God,  and  fjcwing  kimfelf  that  he  is  God,  whofe  com- 
ing is  after  the  ivorking  of  Satan  with  all  potver,  and  ftgns,  and 
lying  wonders,  and  zvith  all  deceivahlenefs  of  unrighteoufnefs. 
You  fee  a  great  apofiafy  in  the  Chrifllan  church,  which  con- 
fifts  chiefiy  in  the  worfhip  o^ demons,  angels,  or  departed  faints, 
and  is  promoted  through  the  hypocrify  of  liars,  forbidding  to 
marry,  and  commanding  to  ahjtain  from  meats.  You  fee  the 
feven  churches  of  Afia  lying  in  the  fame  forlorn  and  defolate 
condition  that  the  angel  had  fignified  to  St.  John,  their  candle- 
Jtick  removed  out  of  its  place,  their  churches  turned  into  mofques, 
their  worfhip  into  fuperftition.  In  {hort  you  fee  the  characters 
of  the  heajl  and  the  falfe  prophet,  and  the  whore  of  Babylon^ 
now  exemplified  in  every  particular,  and  in  a  city  that  is  feated 
upon  feven  mountains  \  fo  that  if  the  bifliop  of  Rome  had  fat  for 
his  picture,  a  greater  refemblance  and  likenefs  could  not  have 
been  drawn. 

As  there  is  a  near  afnnity  between  this  and  what  Dr.  Clarke 
(^)  hath  faid  in  the  conclufion  of  his  difcourfe  of  prophecies,  it 
maybe  proper  to  confirm  and  illuflrate  the  argument  with  fo 
great  an  authority  :  and  indeed  thefe  things  are  of  fuch  impor- 
tance, and  fo  defer ving  to  be  known,  that  they  cannot  be  incul- 
cated too  frequently,  nor  fhown  in  too  many  lights. 

"  I  fiiall  conclude  this  head  with  pointing  at  fome  particu- 
^'  lar  extraordinary  prophecies,  which  defer ve  to  be  carefully 
"  confidered  and  compared  with  the  events,  whether  they 
"  could  pofTibly  have  proceeded  from  chance  or  from  enthufiafm. 
*'  Some  of  them  are  of  fuch  a  nature,  as  that  they  can  only  be 
"  judged  of  by  perfons  learned  in  hillory  ;  and  thefe  I  fhall  but 
"  juft  mention.  Others  are  obvious  to  the  confideration  of  the 
"  whole  world ;  and  with  thofe  I  fhall  finifh  what  I  think  pro- 
<'  per  at  this  time  to  ofFer  upon  this  fubjed. 

"  Concerning  Babylon  it  was  particularly  foretold,  that  it 
"  Jhould  be  Jlmt  up  and  hefiegcd  by  the  Medes,  Elajnites,  and 
"  Armenians',  that  the  river  Jhould  be  dried  up-,  that  the  city 
^^  fiould  be  taken  in  the  time  of  a  fcafl,ivhile  her  mighty  men 
"  were  drunken  :     Which    accordingly  came  to  pafs,  when 

{a)  Clarke's  Works,  Vol.  \\.  The  Evidences  of  Natural  and 
Revealed  Religion.  P.  720^  &c. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  395 

«  Belfhazzar  and  all  his  thoufand  princes,  who  were  drunk 
"  with  him  at  the  feaft,  were  flain  by  Cyrus's  foldiers.  Alfo  k. 
"  was  particularly  foretold,  that  God  would  make  the  countryof 
"  Babylon  a  pojfejjion  for  the  bittern  and  pools  of  water  :  Which 
«  was  accordingly  fulfilled  by  the  overflowing  and  drowning  of 
"  it,  on  the  breaking  down  of  the  great  dam  in  order  to  take 
"  the  city.  Could  the  correfpondence  of  thefe  events  with  the 
«  predidions,  be  the  refult  of  chance  ?  But  fuppofe  thefe  pre- 
"  di(5lions  were  forged  after  the  event,  can  the  following  ones 
"  alfo  have  been  written  after  the  event  ?  of  with  any  reafon  be 
"  afcribed  to  chance  ?  The  wild  beajis  of  the  dcfert  Jhall  dwell 
"  there-,  and  the  owls  jhall  dwell  therein:  and  it  Jhall  he  no 
*'  more  inhabited  for  ever^  neither  jhall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  ge- 
"  neration  to  generation  :  As  God  overthreiv  Sodom  and  Gomcr- 
"  rah^  i3c.  They  jhall  not  take  of  thee  ajlone  for  a  corner^ — 
"  hut  thou  jh  a  It  be  deflate  for  ever.,  faith  the  Lord : — Babylon 
*'  jjjall  become  heaps.,  a  dwelling  place  for  dragons .,  an  ajionijh" 
"  ment  and  an  hifftng  without  an  inhabitant : — It  jhall  fmk^  and 
"  jhall  not  rife  from  the  evil  that  I  will  bring  upon  her.  Baby^ 
"  lon^  the  glory  of  ki7igdoms^—~- jhall  be  as  when  God  overthrew 
*'  Sodom  and  Goinorrah  :  It  jhall  never  be  inhabited.,  neither 
"  jhall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  generation  to  generation :  Neither 
''  jhall  the  Arabian  pitch  tent  there.,  neither  jhall  the  jloepherd^ 
"  make  their  fold  there  :  But  wild  beajis  of  the  defert  Jhall  lie 
"  therey  and  their  houfes  fnall  be  full  of  doleful  creatures.,  and 
"  owls  jhall  dwell  there. 

"  Concerning  Egypt  was  the  following  prediction  forged 
*  after  the  event  ?  or  can  it,  with  any  reafon,  be  afcribed  to 
"  chance  ?  Egypt  fn all  be  a  bafe  kingdom  :  It  jhall  be  the  bafeji 
"  of  kingdoms.,  neither  jhall  it  exalt  life  If  any  more  above  the  na- 
"  tions  :  For  I  will  diminijh  them,  that  they  jloall  no  more  rule 
"  over  the  nations. 

"  Concerning  Tyre,  the  predi£lion  is  no  lefs  remarkable ; 
"  /  will  make  thee  like  the  top  of  a  rock  ;  thou  jhalt  be  a  place  t(t 
"  fpread  nets  upon  ;  thou  jhalt  be  built  7io  more. — Thou  Jim  It  be 
"  no  more ;  the  merchants  among  the  people  jhall  hijs  at  thee, 
'^  thou  jhalt  be  a  terror.,  and  never  Jl^alt  be  any  more.  All  they 
"  that  know  thee  among  the  people.,  jJjall  be  ajlonijhed  at  thee. 

"  The  defcription  of  the  extent  of  the  dominion  of  that 
"  people,  who  were  to  pofTefs  Judea  in  the  latter  days ;  was 
"  it  forged  after  the  event  ?  or  can  it  reafonably  be  afcribed 
"  to  chance  ^    He  jhall  come  with  horfemen^  and  with  many 


396  DISSERTATONS    on 

"  fiips^  and  Jloall  overjiow  and  pafs  over  :  He  Jhall  enter  alfo 
«  into  the  glorious  landy  (and  Jhall  plant  the  tahernacles  of  his 
«  palace  betzueen  the  feas  in  the  glorious  holy  mountain)  and 
"  many  countries  J})aU  be  overthrown  :  But  thefe  Jhall  efcape  out 
**  of  his  hand^  even  Edom  and  Moab  and  the  chief  sf  the  chil- 
"  dren  of  Ainmon.  He  Jhall  fir  etch  forth  his  hand  alfo  upon  the 
"  countries^  and  the  land  of  Egypt  Jhall  not  efcape.  But  he  Jhall 
"  have  power  over  the  treafures  of  gold  and  of  filver^  and  over 
*'  all  the  precious  things  of  Egypt;  and  the  Libyans  and  Ethia- 
«  plans  fnall  be  at  hisfteps. 

.  "  When  Daniel, 'in  the  (a)  vifion  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  im- 
"  age,  foretold  four  great  fucceffive  monarchies  ;  was  this  writ- 
**  ten  after  the  event  ?  or  can  the  congruity  of  his  defcription 
«  with  the  things  themfelves,  reafonably  be  afcribed  to  mere 
"  chance  ? 

«  When  the  fame  Daniel  foretels  a  tyrannical  power,  v/hich 
«  fhould  wear  out  thej'aints  of  the  moji  High^  and  they  Jhall  be 
"  given  into  his  hand^  until  a  time^  and  tifnes^  and  the  divid- 
"  ing  ojtinie  ;  and  again /or  {b)  a  tirne^  times^  and  a  half : 
"  Which  can  be  no  way  applied  to  the  fnort  perfecution  of 
"  Antiochus,  becaufe  thefe  prophecies  are  exprefsly  declared  to 
"  \)Q  for  many  days;  concerning  what  JJjall  befal  thy  people  in 
*'  the  latter  days  ;  for  yet  the  vifton  is  for  many  days  \  concern- 
'*  ing  the  time  of  the  end :  what  Jl)all  be  in  the  lajl  end  of  the 
*'  indignation  ;  concerning  thofe  who  fiall  fall  by  the  fword 
**  and  by  flame^  by  captivity  and  by  fpoil^  many  days ;  to  try 
*'  them  even  to  the  time  of  the  end^  becaufe  it  is  yet  for  a  time 
*'  appointed;  concerning  a  time  of  trouble^  fuch  as  never  was 
''  fince  there  was  a  nation  ;  the  time  when  God  Jhall  have  ac^ 
*'  coviplijhed  to  fcatter  the  power  of  the  holy  people  ;  the  time  of 
*'  the  end.,  till  which  the  words  are  clojed  up  and  fealed ;  to 
*'  which  the  prophet  is  commanded  to  Jhut  up  his  tvords  and 
*'^  feal  the  hook^  for  many  Jhall  run  to  and  fro^  and  knowledge 
**  Jhall  be  increajed ;  even  the  end^  till  which  Daniel  was  to  ref}^ 
^  and  then  Jlatid  in  his  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days.     When  Da- 

(fl)  "  The  fame  of  which  was  fo  nearly  fpread,  that  Ezekiel,  who 
'*  was  contemporary  with  Daniel,  plainly  alludes  to  it,  when  he 
"  fays  of  the  prince  Tyre,  Chap,  xxviii.  3.  Thou  art  wifer  than 
"  Daniel ;  there  is  no  fecret  that  they  can  hide  from  thee." 

{b)  *'  Three  years  and  a  half,  or  1260  days,  is,  according  to 
'*  the  analogy  of  all  the  forementioned  numbers,  1260  years." 


THE    PROPHECIES  397 

*^  niel,  I  fay,  foretels  fuch  a  tyrannical  power  to  continue 
«  fuch  a  determined  period  of  time  :  And  St.  John  prophecies 
*'  that  the  Gentiles  jhould  tread  the  holy  city  under  foot  ^  forty 
*<  and  two  ?nonths ;  which  is  exa£lly  the  fame  period  of  time 
"  with  that  of  Daniel :  And  again,  the  two  witnejfes^  clothed 
"  in  fackcloth^  Jhould  prophecy  a  thoufand  two  hundred  and 
"  threefcore  days  \  which  is  again  exactly  the  very  fame  period 
*'  of  time:  And  again,  that  the  woman  w\{\c\\fled  into  the  wil- 
^  dernefs  from  perfecution,  fhould  continue  there  a  thoufand 
*'  two  hundred  and  threefcore  days  :  And  again,  that  fhe  fhould 
**  fly  into,  the  zvildernefs^for  a  time-,  and  times,  and  half  a  time  ; 
*'  which  is  ftill  the  very  fame  period :  And  again,  that  a  ivild 
*'  beafi,  a  tyrannical  power,  to  whom  it  was  given  to  make  war 
"  with  the  faintSy  and  to  overcome  them,  was  /<?  {a)  continue 
**  forty  and  two  months,  (ftill  the  very  fame  period  of  time)  and 
*'  to  have  power  over  all  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  nations,  fo 
^  that  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  fhould  worjhip  him :  Is  it 


{a)  "  There  has  prevailed  among  learned  men  a  very  impor- 
"  tant  error,  as  if  the  1260  days  (or  years)  here  fpoken  of,  took 
'*  their  beginning  from  the  rife  of  the  tyranny  here  defcribed, 
**  Whereas  on  the  contrary,  the  words  of  Daniel  are  exprefs,  that, 
**  not  from  the  time  of  his  rife,  but  after  his  having  made  war 
*'  with  the  faints,  and  from  the  time  of  their  being  given  into  his 
*'  hand,  fliould  be  a  time  and  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time, 
**  chap.  vii.  24,  25.  And  St.  John  no  lefs  exprefsly  fays,  that 
*'  the  time,  not  of  the  two  witnelTes  prophefying,  (for  in  part  of 
**  that  time  they  had  great  power)  but  of  their  prophefying  in 
"  fackcloth,  fhould  be  a  thoufand  two  hundred  and  threefcore 
''  days.  Rev.  xi..  3.  And  the  persecuted  woman,  after  her  flight, 
"  was  to  Se  actually  in  the  wildernefs  a  thoufand  two  hundred 
•*  and  threefcore  days,  chap.  xii.  6.  Wherefore  alfo  the  forty 
*'  and  two  months,  (the  very  fame  period)  during  which  time 
*'  power  was  given  unto  the  wild  beail  to  continue,  (in  the  ori- 
*'  ginal  it  is  to  do  what  he  pleafed.  Rev.  xiii.  3.)  evidently 
'*  ought  not  to  be  reckoned  from  his  rife,  or  from  the  time  when 
*'  the  ten  kings  (chap.  xvii.  12.)  received  power  with  him;  but 
*'  from  the  time  of  his  having  totally  overcome  the  faints,  and 
*'  of  his  being  worlhipped  by  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth, 
^'  chap.  xiii.  7,  8." 


398        DISSERTATIONS    on 

^'  credible  or  polTiblc  that  ignorant  and  enthufiaftical  wrlteri 
'  fhould  by  mere  chance  hie  upon  fuch  coincidencies  of  [oc- 
'  calt]  numbers?  efpecially  fince  St.  John  could  not  poflibly 
**  take  the  numbers  from  Daniel,  if  he  underftood  Daniel  to 
'*  mean  nothing  more  than  the  Jhort  perfecution  of  Antiochus. 
**  And  if  he  did  underltand  Daniel  to  mean  a  much  lojigcr  and 
**  greater  and  7nore  remote  tyranny,  which  John  himfelf  pro- 
**  phefied  of  as  in  his  titne  flill  future  ;  then  the  wonder  is  ftill. 
*'  infinitely  greater,  that  in  thofe  early  times,  when  there  was 
**  not  the  leall  footilep  in  the  world  of  any  fuch  power  as  St. 
*'  John  diftinftly  defcribes,  (but  which  now  is  very  confpicuous, 
'*  as  1  iliall  prefently  oblerve  more  particularly)  it  Ihould  ever 
**  enter  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  fo  much  as  the  poffibi- 
*'  lity  of  fuch  a  power,  fitting  not  upon  the  pavilion  of  heatheH 
'*  perfecutors,  but  exprefsly,  2  Thef.  ii.  4.  *'  in  the  temple"  and 
'*  upon  the  feat  of  God  himfelf. 

*'  But  thefe  prophecies,  which  either  relate  to  particular 
"  places,  or  depend  upon  the  computation  of  particular  pe- 
**  riods  of  time,  are  (as  I  faid)  of  fuch  a  nature,  as  that 
"  they  cannot  be  judged  of,  but  by  perfons  fkilled  in  hiftory. 
*'  There  "are  feme  others  more  general,  running  through  the 
**  whole  fcripture,  and  obvious  to  the  confideration  of  the.  whole 
"  world. 

**  For  inftance  :  It  was  foretold  by  Mofes,  that  when  the 
**  Jews  forfook  the  true  God,  they  Ihculd  be  retnc^jed  into  all 
*'  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth ;  Ihould  be  Jcattered  among  the 
"  Heathen^  among  the  nations,  among  all  people  from  the  one 
* '  end  cf  the  earth  e^oen  unto  the  other ;  fliould  there  be  left  fen.ij 
*'  in  number  among  the  Heathcny  and  pine  a'^jay  in  their  intqui- 
*'  ty  in  their  enemies  lands  y  and  fliould  become  an  ajhnijhme^it, 
**  and  a  proierb,  and  a  by-'wcrdy  among  all  nations  ;  and  that 
"  among  thefe  nations  they  fhould  find  no  eafe,  neither  lliould 
"  the  fole  of  their  foot  ha-ue  reft  ;  but  the  Lord  ftSould  gi've 
**  them  a  trembling  hearty  and  failing  of  eyes,  and  forrcnjL'  cf 
"  mind s  2.r\6.  fend  a  faitnefs  into  their  hearts  in  the  lands  of  their 
"  enemies  y  fo  that  the  jound  of  a  Jhaken  leaf  fhould  chafe  them. 
*'  Had  any  thing  like  this,  in  Mofes's  time,  ever  happened 
**  to  any  nation  ?  Or  was  there  in  nature  any  probability, 
**  that  any  fuch  thing  fhould  ever  happen  to  any  people  •* 
"  that,  when  they  weie  conquered  by  their  enemies,  and  led 
**  into  captivity,  they  fliould   neither  continue  in  the  place  of 


T  H  E    P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S  395 

"  their  captivity,  nor  be  fwallowed  up  and  loft  among  their 
**  conquerors,  but  be  fcattered  among  all  the  nations  cf  the 
"  world,  and  hated  by  all  nations  for  many  ages,  and  yet 
"  continue  a  people  ?  Gr  could  any  defcription  of  the  jevys, 
"  written  at  this  day  poflibly  be  a  more  exaft  and  lively  pic- 
"  ture  of  the  ftate  they  have  7io-iv  been  in  for  many  ages  ;  than  this 
**  prophetic  defcription  given  by  Mofss,  more  than  three  thou- 
**  fand  years  ago  ? 

'*  The   very  fame  thing   is  in  like  manner  continually  pre- 

*'  didled   through  all  the  following  prophets ;  that  God  would 

'*  fcatter    them    among    the  Heathen ;     that    he    would   caufe   them 

'*■  to   be   retnoved    into    all    the   kijigdoms    of   the    earth ;    that    he 

*'  would  fcatter  them  into  all  the  ^^Ands  ;  and  difperfe  them  through 

"  the   countries   of  the  Heathen  ;    that    he  would  fft   them  among 

"  all    nations,    like  as   corn    is  fifted  in    a  Jie-ve ;    that    in  all  the 

*'  kingdoms  of  the    earth,    ivhither    they   fhould    be   driven,    they 

"  fhould  be  a  reproach  and  a  proverb,  a  taunt    and  a   curfe,  and 

*'  an  ajlonijhment  and  a  hijfng;  and  that  they  fliould  abide  ma?iy 

"  days  ^jjithout   a   king,  and  njuithout   a  prince,  and  nfjithout   a  fa- 

•'  crifice,    and    -zmthout    an     image,    and    ^without   an   ephod,     and 

"  ivifhout   ieraphim.      And   here   concerning   the  prediftions  of 

*'  Ezekiel    it    is     remarkable    in  particular,     that    they  being 

**  fpoken  in   the  very   time  of  the   Babylonilli   captivity,  it   is 

'*  therefore  evident  from  the  time  of  his   prophefying,  as  well 

*^  as  from  the  nature  and  defcription  of  the    thing  itfelf,  that 

*'  he   muil  needs  be    underftood    of  that  latter  capti'uity  into  all 

*'  places,    which  was   to    happen  after  the  fulfilling   the  time   cf 

"  that  age,   wherein  God    was  firft  to  bring  them  again   (out  of 

*'  the  Babylonifh  captivity)    into  the  Idnd  nvhere  they  Jhould  build 

"  a  temple,  but  not  like    to    tha^t    which  afterwards     (after  their 

"  final  return)    fhould  be    built  for  e-ver    <with   a   glorious   build- 

*'  ing.     The  forecited   prophecies   (I  fay)    muft   of  neceility  be 

'*  underftood  of   that  wide  and  long  difperfion,  which  in  the 

**  New  Teftament  alfo  is  exprefsly  mentioned  by  our  Saviour 

*'  and  by   St.  Paul. 

**  It  is  alfo  farther,  both  largely  and  diftinSlly  predidled,  as 
**  well  by  Mofes  himfelf,  as  by  all  the  following  prophets, 
•'  that  notwithftanding  this  unexampled  difperfion  of  God's 
"  people,  y^t  for  all  that,  <zvhen  they  be  in ,  the  land  of  their 
'*  enemies,  God  ivill  not  dejiroy  them  utterly ;  but  <vjhen  they  Jhall 
**  call  to  mind  among  all  the  nations,  'vjhither  God  has  driven 
"  them,    and  /hall  return   unto   the  Lord,    he  ^vill  turn  their  cap- 


4.30         DISSERTATIONS    otc 

•'  ii'vity,  and  gather  them  from  all  nations ,  from  the  outmoft  parts 

**  of  keausuy    even    in   the   latter    days :    That   though  he  makes   a 

*'  full  end  of  all  other   nations,  yet   he  'vlhU  not   make  a  full  end 

'*  of  them  J   but   a   remnant  of  them   fhall  be  preferved,  and  re- 

*'  turn   out  of  all  coiintries  ivhither    God  has  drinjen  them  :   That 

*'  he  iJi'ill  Jtft  the  houfe  of  Ifrael  among  all   nations^    like  as  com 

**  is  ftfted  in   a  fe've  y  yet  Jhall  not   the   leaf  grain  fall  upon  the 

*'  earth:      That   the  Lord  Jhall fet   his  haiid  again  a  fecond  timty- 

*'  to  recover   the   remnant  of  his  people,    and  Jhall  fet  up  an  enfgn 

^'  for  the  nations,    and  jhall  afjemhle    the    out c aft s   of  Ifrael,    and 

*'  gather   together  the  dijperfed  of  fudah,  from  the  four  corners  of 

**  the  earth  :    For   /  ^ill  bring   thy  feed  from   the  eaji,  fiiith  the 

*'  Lord,   and  gather  thee  from  the  ^jjeft  ;   I  nvill  fay    to  the  norths 

*■*  Gi%>e  up  y  and  to  the  fouth.   Keep  7iot   back  y  Bring  my  Jons  from 

*'  far,   and  my    daughters  from   the   ends   of  the   earth  :    Behold,   I 

'*  nvill  lift  up  my  hand  to  the    Gentiles,   and  Jet  up  my  ftandard  to 

*'  the  people,    and  they  Jhall  bring  thy  fans   in  their  arms,   and  thy 

*'  daughters  Jhall  be   carried  upon    their  Jhoulders  :    For  a  fmall  mo- 

**  ment   have   I  forj'aken    thee,    but    ^joith    great    mercy  'will  I  ga- 

"  ther  thee:     In    a    little   <njorath  I  hid  tny  face  from  thee,  for  a 

**  moment  y    but    njciih  e^oerlafting   kindnefs    nvill    ^    ha-ve  mercy    on 

*'  thee.     And  that  thefe  promifes  might  not    be  applied  to  the 

*'  return  from  the  feventy    years   captivity   in  Babylon    (^yhich 

*'  moreover  was  not  a  difperlion  into  all  nations)   they   are  ex- 

**  prefsly  referred    to    the  latter  days,   not    only    by  Mofes^^  but 

**  by  Hofea,    who  lived  long  after :   (For  the  children   of  Ifrael 

**  Jhall  abide  MANY   DAYS  ^without  a  king,  and  without  a  prince ^ 

*'  and  'without  a  facrifice  :  AFTERWARD  they  Jhall  return,   and 

"  feek   the    Lord  their  God,    and  Da'vid  their    king,   and  fear   the 

"  Lord  and    his  goodnef   in  the    LATTER  DAYS  :)     And    by 

*'  Ezekiel,    who  lived  in  the  captivity  itfelf :     After   MANY 

*'  DAYS   [fpeaking  of  thofe  who  iliould  oppofe  the  return  of 

''  the  Ifraelites]  thou  fty alt  be  'uifited ;  in  the  LATTER  YEARS 

"  thou  Jhalt   come  into  the  land  ; upon  the  people  nvho   are  ga- 

'''  thered  out  of  the  nations ;-  •  In  that  day  'when  my  people  of 
/*■  Ifrael  duDellethj'afely, — thou  Jhalt  come  up  agatnft  them, — it  Jhall  be  in 
"  the  LATTER  DAYS.  Thefe  prediftons  therefore  neceflarily 
**  belong  to  that  age,  v/hen  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  fhall  htj'ulflled, 
"  and  thefulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in.  And  that,  through  all  the 
"  changes  which  have  happened  in  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  from 
**  the  days  of  Mofes  to  the  prefent  time,  which  is  more  than  three 
'*  thoufand  years,  nothing  fhould  have  happened,  to  prevent  the/e/- 
*'  fbilityohnt  accomplifhment  of  thefe  prophecies:  on  the  contrary 


THE     PROPHECIES.  401 

«  the  ftate  of  the  Jevvifli  and  Chriftian  nations  at  this  day, Should 
"  be  fuch  as  renders  them  eafily  capable,  not  only  of  a  figura- 
"  tive,  but  even  of  a  literal  completion  in  every  particular,  if 
"  the  will  of  God  be  fo;  this  (I  fay)  is  a  miracle^  which  hath 
*'  nothing  parallel  to  it  in  the  phaenomena  of  nature. 

"  Another  inftance,  no  lefs  extraordinary  is  as  follows.  Da- 
"  niel  foretold  a  kingdom  upon  the  earthy  which  jhould  he  divers 
''  from  all  kingdo?ns^  divers  from  all  that  were  before  it^  exceed- 
"  ing  dreadfil-,  andjhall  devour  the  zvhole  earth  :  That,  among 
"  the  powers  into  which  this  kingdom  (hall  be  divided,  there 
"  fhall  arife  one  power  divers  from  the  reft^  v/ho  ^2\\  fuhdue 
*'  unto  himfelf  three  of  the  fir  ft  powers,  and  he  fhall  hay.e  a 
"  mouth  fpeaking  very  great  things^  and  a  Idok  more  flout  than 
"  his  fellows.  He  Ihall  7nake  war  with  the  faints^  and  pre- 
"  vail  againfi  them.  And  he  jhall  fpeak  great  words  againfi  the 
"  mofl  High^  and  Jhall  wear  out  the  faints  of  the  inofl 
"  High^  and  think  to  change  times  and  laws-,  and  they  flmll 
"  he  given  into  his  hand^  for  a  long  feafon  ;  even  .till  the  judge^ 
"  ment  jhall  fit.^  and  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven  Jhall 
"  be  given  to  tlx  people  of  the  fai?its  of  the  mofl  High*  He  fJ)all 
*'  exalt  himfelf  and  magnify  himfelf  above  every  God^  andjhall 

*'  fpeak  marvellous  things  againft  the  Godof  gQds\ Neither 

*'  Jhall  he  regard  (a)  the  God  of  his  fathers^  nor  (b)  the  deftre 
"  ofwomen^  nor  regard  any  God-,  for  he  fhall  magnify  himfelf 
"  above  all.  And  in  eftate  Jhall  he  honour  (c)  the  Godof  forces^ 
"  ^W(d)  a  Godwho?n  his  fathers  kneiu  not^  Jhall  he  honour.—^ 
*'  Tims  Jhall  he  do  in  the  mojl  Jlrong  holds  with  afirange  Gody 
"  whom  he  Jhall  acknowledge  and  increafe  zvith  glory ;  and  he 
"  Jhall  cauje  them  to  rule  over  many^  and  ]}:>  all  divide  the  land  for 
*'  gain.  Suppofe  now  all  this  to  be  fpoken  by  Daniel,  of  nothing 
"  more  than  the  fhort  perfecution  under  Antiochus  Epiphanes  ; 
"  which  that  it  cannot  be,  I  have  fhown  above.  Butfuppofe 
*'  it  were,  and  that  it  was  all  forged  after  the  event :  Yet  this 
"  cannot  be  the  cafe  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  John,  who  defcribe  ex- 
VoL.  n.  E  e  e 


(rt)  "  The  God  of  Gods,  as  in  the  foregoing  verfe." 

ijj)  "  Forbidding  to  marry,  i  Tim.  iv.  3." 

(f )  "  God's  protcdors,  as  'tis  in  the  margin  of  the  Bible,  en* 

faints  protedors." 

{d)  *'  Changing  times  and  laws,  chap.  vii.  25  ;  fetting  up  new 

religions." 


4o;i  DISSERT  AXONS    on 

"  a6lly  a  like  power,  and  in  like  words  \  fpeaking  of  things  tD 
"  come  in  the  latter  daySy  of  things  ^\\\  future  in  their  time, 
"  and  of  which  there  were  then  no  footlleps,  no  appearance  in 
"  the  world.  The  day  of  Chrift^  faith  St.  Paul,  foall  not  co?ne 
^-^  except  there  come  a  falling  away  firjl^  and  that  man  of  fin  be 
"  re'vealed^  the  fon  of  perdition  :  IVho  oppofeth  and  exalteth 
"  himfelf  above  all  that  is  called  God^  or  that  is  worjhipped  : 
"  fo  that  he^  as  God,  fitteth  (a)  in  the  temple  of  God^  flowing 
"  hiitfelf  that  he  is  God: — IVhofe  coming  is  after  the  tvorking 
''  of  Satan-,  with  all  power  ^  andftgnsy  and  lying  wonder  s^  and 
*^  with  all  deceivablenefs  of  unrighteoufnefs.  Again:  The  Spi- 
"  rit  fpcaketh  exprefsly^  that  in  the  latter  times  fome  Jhall  depart 
^^  from  the  faith y* giving  heed  to  [educing  fpirits^  and  (b)  doc- 
*'  trines  of  devils  ; — Forbidding  to  marry^  and  commanding  to 
"  abjiain  frotn  meats^  ^c.  St.  John  in  like  manner  prophe- 
*'  cies  of  a  luild  bea/l,  or  tyrannical  power,  to  whom  was 
*'  given  great  author ity^  and  a  jnouth  fpeaking  great  things  and 
''  hlafphemies  :  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blafphemy  againjl 
*'  God:  And  it  zv  as  given  unto  him  to  ?nake  war  with  the  faints^ 
"  and  to  overcome  tkem ;  and  power  was  given  him  over  all 
*'  kindreds  and  tongues  and  nations ;  and  all  that  dwell  upofi 
*'  the  earth  foall  worjhip  him. — And  he  that  exercifcth  his  power 
*'  before  him — doth  great  tf^onders — and  deceiveth  them  that 
*'  dwell  upon  the  earthy  by  means  of  thofe  ?niracles  which  he 
*'  had  power  to  do. — And  he  caufeth  that  no  man  ?night  buy  or 
''  felly  fave  he  that  had  the  mark  or  the  name  of  the  heaji  ;-— 
**  And  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  one  mindy  and  Jhall  give 
"  their  pozver  and  Jlrength  unto  the  beajl  \ — even  peoples  and 
"  multitudeSy  and  nationsy  and  tongues.— ^For  God  hath  put  in 
^'  their  Z?^^r/-j  [in  the  hearts  of  the  kings]  to  fulfil  his  willy  and  to 
"  agrecy  and  give  their  kingdom  unto  the  hcajly  until  the  zvords 
"  of  God  Jhall  be  fulfilled.  The  name  of  the  perfon,  in  whofe 
"  hands  the  reigns  or  principal  direction  of  the  exercife  of  this 
"  power  is  lodged,  If,  Adyjleryy  Babylon  the  greaty  the  mother 
"  of  harlot  Sy  and  abominations    of  the  earth:  with  zvhom  the 

(f)  *'  'Tis  therefore  a  ChrilHan  (not  an  Infidel)  power,  that  he 
**  here  fpeaks  of.'* 

{b)  '*  Do6lrines  concerning  Demons,  that  is,  ghcftj  or  fouls  of 
**  (good  or  bad)  men  departed.  Epiphanius,  citing  this  text,  al- 
•'  ledges  the  following  words,  as  part  of  the  text  itfelf.  For  they 
"  fhall  be,  fays  the  apollle,  worfliippers  of  the  dead,  even  as  the 
*'  dead  were  anciently  worihipped  in  Ifrael.  And  he  applies  the 
**  whole  to  the  worlhippcrs  of  the  blcfied  virgin.  Hajref.  78. 
"  Seft.  22." 


T  H  £     P  R  O  P  H  E  C  I  E  S.  403 

"  kifigs  of  the  earth  [a]  have  cojnmi  tied  fornication^  and  the  in- 
"  habitants  of  the  earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  the  %uine  of 
"  her  fornication.  And  Ihc  hcrfclf  is  drunken  with  the  blood 
"  of  the  faints^  and  with  the  blood  of  the  7nartyrs  of  fefus ; 
"  And  by  her  (b)  forceries  are  all  nations  deceived :  Jnd  in  her 
''  is  found  the  blood  of  prophets^  and  of  faints^  and  of  all  that 
"  are  flain  upon  the  earth.  And  this  perfon,  [the  political 
"  perfon]  to  whom  thefe  titles  and  characSters  belong,  is  that 
"  great  city  ((landing  upon  feven  ?nountain^)  which  reigncth 
"  over  the  kings  of  the  earth. 

"  If  in  the  days  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  John,  there  was  any 
"  footftep  of  fuch  a  fort  of  power  as  this  in  the  world ;  Or, 
"  if  there  ever  had  been  any  fuch  power  in  the  world;  Or, 
"  if  there  was  then  any  appearance  of  probability,  that  could 
"  make  it  enter  into  the  heart  of  man  to  imagine,  that  there 
"  ever  could  be  any  fuch  kind  of  power  in  the  world,  much 
"  lefs  in  the  temple  or  church  of  God:  And,  if  there  be  not 
"  no^y  fuch  a  power  actually  and  confpicuoufly  exercifed  in  the 
"  world:  And  is  any  picture  of  this  power,  drawn  after  the 
"  event,  can  now  defcribe  it  more  plainly  and  exactly  than  it 
"  was  originally  defcribed  in  the  words  of  the  prophecy :  Then 
"  may  it  with  fome  degree  of  plauliblenefs  be  fuggefted,  that 
"  the  prophecies  are  nothing  more  than  enthufiaftlc  imagina- 
"  tions." 

For  thefe  things  you  have  the  atteftation  of  pafl",  and  the 
experience  of  prel'ent  times  ;  and  you  cannot  well  be  deceived, 
if  you  will  only  believe  your  own  eyes  and  obfervation.  You. 
actually  fee  the  completion  of  many  of  the  prophecies  in  the 
ftate  of  men  and  things  around  you,  and  you  have  the  prophe- 
cies thenifelves  recorded  in  books,  which  books  have  been  read 
in  public  afTemblies  thefe  one  thoufand  {twen.  hundred  or  two 
thoufand  years,  have  been  difperfed  into  feveral  countries,  have 
been  tranflated  into  feveral  languages,  and  quoted  and  com- 
mented upon  by  different  authors  of  different  ages  and  nations^ 
fo  that  there  is  no  room  to  fufpetS:  fo  much  as  a  poiTibility  of 
forgery  or  illufion. 

The  prophecies  too,  though  written  by  different  men  In  dif- 
ferent ages,  have  yet  a  vifible  connexion  and  dependency,  an 
entire  harmony  and  agreement  one  with  another.  At  the  iame 
time  that  there  is  fuch  a  perfect  harmony,  there  is  aifo  great  va- 


(^)   **  Have  been  led  into  idolatrous  Pradlices." 

\h)  *^  Methods  of  making  men  religious  >yithout  virtue^" 


404         DISSERTATIONS    on 

riety  ;  and  the  fame  things  are  foretold  by  different  prophets  in 
a  different  manner  and -with  different  circumftanees  j  and  th^ 
latter  ufuaily  improve  upon  the  former.  They  are  all  excellent 
in  their  uifferent  kinds  ;  and  you  may  obferve  the  beauty  and 
fublimitv  of  the  flile  and  diction  of  the  prophets  even  from  thcfe 
quotations  vi'hich  have  been  made  from  their  writings.  In- 
deed they  are  very  v/ell  vi^orthy  of  your  ferious  perufal  and 
meditation^  not  only  confidered  as  prophets,  but  confidered 
even  as  authors,  for  their  noble  images  and  defcriptions,  their 
bold  tropes  and  figures,  their  inftruflive  precepts,  their  pathe- 
tical  exhortations,  and  other  excellencies,  v/hich  vi^ould  have 
been  admired  in  any  ancient  writers  whatever. 

Obfcarities  there  are  indeed  in  the  prophetic  writings,  for 
which  many  good  reafons  may  be  affigned,  and  this  particularly, 
becaufe  p/ophccies  are  the  only  fpccies  of  writing,  which  is 
defigned  more  for  the  inftrudlion  of  future  ages  than  of  the 
times  wherein  they  are  written.  If  the  prophecies  had  been 
delivered  in  plainer  terms,  fomeperfons  might  be  for  haftening 
their  accomplifhmjent,  as  others  might  attempt  to  defeat  it  ; 
men's  aiSlings  would  not  appear  fo  free,  nor  God's  providence 
fo  confpicuous  in  their  completion.  Eut  though  fome  parts 
are  obicure  enough  to  exercife  the  church,  yet  others  are  fuffi- 
ciently  clear  to  illuminate  it ;  and  the  obfcure  parts,  the  more 
they  are  fulfilled,  the  better  they  are  underftood.  In  this  ref- 
pedt  as  the  world  groweth  older,  it  groweth  wifer.  Time  that 
detracts  fom.ething  from  the  evidence  of  the  other  writers,  is  ftiii 
adding  fomething  to  the  credit  and  authority  of  the  prophets. 
Future  ages  will  comprehend  more  than  the  prefcnt,  as  the 
pn.^fent  underlbnds  more  than  the  paft :  and  the  perfe6i:  ac- 
complifhment  will  produce  a  perfeft  knowledge  of  all  the  pro- 
phecies. 

In  any  application  of  the  prophecies  you  cannot  but  obfervt 
the  iubferviency  of  human  learning  to  the  ftudy  of  divinity. 
One  thing  is  particularly  reouifite,  a  com.petent  knowledge  of 
hiftory  facred  and  profane,  ancient  and  modern.  Prophecy 
is,  as  I  may  fay,  hiftory  anticipated  and  contradl:ed ;  hiffory  is 
prophecy  accomplifhcd  and  dilated :  and  the  prophecies  of 
fcriptu re  contain,  as  you  fee,  the  fate  of  the  moft  confiderable 
nations,  and  the  fubfta*ice  of  the  mod  memorable  tranfadions 
in  the  world  from  the  earlieil  to  the  Jateft  times.  Daniel  and 
St.  John,  with  regard  to  thefe  later  times,  are  more  copious 
and  particular  than  the  other  prophets.  They  exhibit  a  feries 
and  fuccciTion  of  the  moft  important  cvcpts  iVom   the  firic  of 


THE    PROPHECIES  405 

the  four  great  empires  to  the  confLunmation  of  all  things. 
Their  prophecies  may  really  be  faid  to  be  a  fummary  of  the 
hiftory  of  the  world,  and  the  hiftory  of  the  world  is  die  beft 
comment  upon  their  prophecies.  I  mufi:  confefs  it  was  my 
application  to  hiftory,  that  hrft  flruclc  me,  without  thinking  of 
it,  with  the  amazing  juftnefs  of  the  fcripture-prophecies.  I 
obferved  the  predi(Stions  all  along  to  be  verified  in  the  courfe 
of  events ;  and  the  more  you  know  of  ancient  and  modern 
times,  and  the  farther  you  fearch  into  the  truth  of  hiftory,  the 
more  you  will  be  fatsified  of  the  truth  of  prophecy.  They  are 
only  pretenders  to  learning  and  knowlege,  who  are  patrons  of 
infidelity.  You  have  heard,  in  thefc  difcourfes,  of  the  two 
grcatelt  men,  whom  this  country  or  perhaps  the  whole  world 
hath  produced,  the  Lord  Bacon  and  Sir  Ifaac  Newton,  the  one 
wiilimg  for  a  hiftory  of  the  feveral  prophecies  of  fcripture  com- 
pared with  the  events,  the  other  writing  Obfervations  upon 
the  prophecies  of  Daniel  and  the  Apocalyps  of  St.  John :  and 
the  teftimony  of  two  fuch  (not  to  mention  others)  is  enough  to 
weigh  down  the  authority  of  all  the  infidels  who  ever  lived. 

You  fee  what  ftanding  monuments  the  Jews  are  every  where 
of  divine  vengeance  for  their  infidelity,  and  beware  therefore 
of  the  like  crime,  left  the  like  punifliment  ftiould  follow  ;  ''  for" 
Rom.  xi.  21.  "  if  God  fpared  not  the  natural  branches,  take 
"  heed  left  he  alfo  fpare  not  thee."  Our  infidelity  would  be 
worfe  even  than  tliat  of  the  Jews,  for  they  receive  and  ov/n  the 
prophecies,  but  do  not  fee  and  acknowledge  their  completion 
in  Jefus,  whereas  our  modern  infidels  reje<St  both  the  prophecy 
and  the  completion  together.  But  what  ftrange  difmgenuity 
muft  it  be,  when  there  is  all  the  evidence  that  hiftory  can  af- 
ford for  the  prophecy,  and  in  many  cafes  even  ocular  demon- 
llration  for  the  completion,  to  be  ft  ill  obftinate  and  unbeliev- 
ino-  ?  May  we  not  very  properly  beftow  upon  fuch  perfons  that 
juft  reproach  of  our  Saviour,  Luke  xxiv.  25.  "  O  fools,  and 
"  flow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  have  fpoken  r" 
But  I  have  good  hope  and  confidence  in  God,  that,  Hebr.  x. 
39.  "  we  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  unto  perdition,  but 
"  of  them  who  believe  to  the  faving  of  the  foul." 

Lideed  if  it  was  once  or  twice  only  that  the  thing  had  fuc- 
ceeded  and  the  event  had  fallen  out  agreeable  to  the  predidion^ 
we  ftiould  not  fo  much  wondei-,  we  fhould  not  lay  fuch  a  ftrcfs 
upon  it ;  it  might  be  afcribed  to  a  lucky  contingency,  or  owing 
to  rational  conje£ture :  but  that  fo  many  things,  fo  very  un- 
likely ever  to  happen,  fhould  be  fo  particularly  foretold,  and 


4o6         DISSERTATIONS     on 

fo  mzny  ages  afterwards  {o  punctually  fulfilled,  tranfcends 
without  doubt  all  the  fkill  and  power  of  man,  and  mull  be  re- 
folved  into  the  omnifcience  and  omnipotence  of  God.  Nothing 
certainly  can  be  a  Wronger  proof  of  a  perfon's  a£ting  by  divine 
commiirion,  and  fpeaking  by  divine  infpiration  ;  and  it  is  align- 
ed in  fcripture  as  the  tcft  and  criterion  between  a  true  and 
falfe  prophet;  Deut.  xviii.  22.  "  When  a  prophet  fpeaketh  in 
"  the  name  of  the  Lord,  if  the  thing  follow  not  nor  come  to 
"  pafs,  that  is  the  thing  which  the  Lord  hath  not  fpoken,  but 
"  the  prophet  hath  fpoJcen  it  prefumptuouny ;"  and  in  another 
place,  Jer.  xxviii.  9,  "  The  prophet  who  propheficth  of  peace, 
"  when  the  word  of  the  prophet  (hall  come  to  pafs,  then  iliall 
"  the  prophet  be  known  that  the  Lord  hath  truly  fent  him." 
It  is  fo  much  the  peculiar  prerogative  of  God,  or  of  thofe  who 
are  commiffioned  by  him,  certainly  to  foretel  future  events, 
that  it  is  made  a  challenge  to  all  the  falfe  gods,  If.  xli.  21,  28. 
"  Produce  your  caufe,  faith  the  Lord  ;  bring  forth  your  ftrong 
"  reafons,  faith  the  king  of  Jacob;  Show  the  things  that  are 
*'  to  come  hereafter,  that  we  may  know  that  ye  are  gods." 
Lying  oracles  have  been  in  the  v/orld  ;  but  all  the  wit  and  ma- 
lice of  mxcn  and  devils  cannot  produce  any  fuch  prophecies  as 
arc  recorded  in  fcripture :  and  what  flronger  atteftations  can 
you  require  to  the  truth  and  divinity  of  the  do6trine  ?  No 
man  can  bring  with  him  more  authentic  credentials  of  his  com- 
ing from  God  :  and  the  more  you  fhall  confider  and  under- 
ftand  them,  the  more  you  will  be  convinced,  that,  Rev.  xix.  10. 
"  the  teftimcny  of  Jefus  is  the  fpirit  of  prophecy." 

If  to  the  prophecies  you  add  the  miracles,  fo  falutary  and 
beneficial,  fo  publicly  wrought  and  fo  credibly  attefted,  above 
any  other  matters  of  fa£l  whatever,  by  thofe  who  were  eye- 
witnefies  of  them,  and  fealed  the  truth  of  their  teftimony  with 
their  blood;  if  to  thefe  external  confirmations  you  add  like- 
wife  the  internal  excellence  of  Chrillianity,  the  goodncfs  of 
the  doctrine  itfelf,  fo  moral,  fo  pcrfeil,  fo  divine,  and  the 
purity  and  perfection  of  its  motives  and  fanctions,  above  any 
other  fy ftcm  of  morality  or  religion  in  the  world  ;  if  you  feri- 
oufiy  confider  and  rompkre  all  thefe  things  together,  it  is  al- 
moft  impoHible  not  to  feel  conviilion  and  to  cry  out,  as  Tho- 
mas did  after  handling  cnr  Saviour,  John  xx.  28.  "  My  Lord 
"  and  my  God  I"  This  is  only  one  argument  out  of  many, 
that  there  muft  be  a  divine  revelation,  if  there  is  any  truth  in 
prophecv;  and  there  muft  be  truth  in  prophccv,  as  wc  have 


THE    PROPHECIES.  407 

fhown  in  fcvcral  inftances  and  might  fhow  in  feveral  more,  if 
there  is  any  dependence  upon  the  tefcimony  of  others  or  upon 
our  own  fenfes,  upon  what  we  read  in  books,  or  upon  what  we 
fee  in  the  world. 

Men  are  fometimes  apt  to  think,  that  if  they  could  but  fee 
a  miracle  wrought  in  favour  of  religion,  they  would  readily  re- 
sign all  their  fcruples,  believe  without  doubt,  and  obey  without 
referve.  The  very  thing  that  you  defire,  you  have.  Yo;^ 
have  the  greatefl  and  moft  ftriking  of  miracles  in  the  feries  of 
fcripture  prophecies  accomplifhed ;  accomplifhed,  as  we  fee 
in  the  prefent  ftate  of  almoft  all  nations,  the  Africans,  the 
Egyptians,  the  Arabians,  the  Turks,  the  Jews,  the  Papifts, 
the  Proteftants,  Nineveh,  Babylon,  Tyre,  the  fevcn  churches 
of  Afia,  Jcrufalem,  and  Rome.  And  this  is  not  a  tranfient 
miracle,  ceafmg  almoft  as  foon  as  performed  ;  but  is  permanent, 
and  protra(5led  through  the  coorfe  of  many  generations.  It  is 
not  a  miracle  delivered  only  upon  the  report  of  others,  but  is 
fubjeiSt  to  your  own  infpe6lion  and  examination.  It  is  not  a 
miracle  exhibited  only  before  a  certain  number  ofwitneffes,  but 
is  open  to  the  obfcrvation  and  contemplation  of  all  mankind; 
and  after  fo  many  ages  is  ftill  growing,  ftill  improving  to  fu- 
ture ages.  What  ftronger  miracle  therefore  can  you  require 
for  your  convi'flion  ?  or  what  will  avail,  if  this  be  found  inef- 
fectual ?  Alas!  if  you  reje6l  the  evidence  of  prophecy,  neither 
would  you  be  perfuaded  though  one  fliould  rile  from  the  dead- 
What  can  be  plainer  ?  You  fee,  or  may  fee,  with  your  own 
eyes  the  fcripture  prophecies  accomplifhed:  and  if  the  fcripture 
prophecies  are  accomplifhed,  the  fcripture  muft  be  the  word  of 
God ;  and  if  the  fcripture  is  the  v/ord  of  God,  the  Chriftian 
religion  muft  be  true. 

It  is  hoped  therefore  that  the  fame  addrefs  may  be  applied  to 
you,  which  St.  Paul  made  to  king  Agrippa,  A6ts  xxvi.  27,  28. 
"  Believeft  thou  the  prophets  ?  I  know  that  thou  believeft  :" 
and  God  difpofe  your  heart  to  anfwer  again.  Not  only  "  almoft,*' 
but  "  altogether  thou  perfuadeft  me  to  be  a  Chriftian  !'*  For 
your  encouragement  remember,  that.  Matt.  x.  41.  "  He  who 
"  receiveth  a  prophet  in  the  name  of  a  prophet,  (hall  receive 
"  a  prophet's  reward."  Wherefore,  i  Thef.  v.  19,  &c. 
"  quench  not  the  fpirit;  defpife  not  prophefying ;  prove  all 
"  things,  hold  faft  that  which  is  good.  The  grace?  of  our  Lord 
"  Jefus  Chrift  be  vAth  you,     Amer.'' 


GENERAL     INDEX, 

g::|=  Ti;e  Letters  denote  the  FohmiCj  and  the  Figures  the  Pa^e. 

A 


ABOMINATION  of  defolation  Jianding  in  the  holy  place, 
the   meaning   of  that  exprefTion,  II.    52,   &c.  why  the 
Roman  army  is  called  the  abo?nlnation,  53. 

Abraham  the  patriarch  of  the  greateft  renown,  I.  40.  favoured 
with  feveral  revelations,  40.  thofe  concerning  Ifhrnael,  con- 
fidered,  40.  the  prophecies  about  Ifhrnael  and  his  pofterity, 
how  fulfilled,  40,  &c.  thofe  about  the  Ifraelites,  how  ac- 
compliihed,  55,  5cc. 

Abftinence  from  meats,  a  note  and  charader  of  the  apoftafy, 
II.  162. 

Acilius,  the  Roman  conful,  routs  Antiochus,  and  expels  him 
out  of  Greece,  I.  337. 

Aeiius  Adrian,  the  Roman  emperor,  builds  iElia  inftead  of 
Jerufalem,  II.  80.  &c.  deftroys   and  difperfes  the  Jews,  81. 

Agag,  his  Cing  Jloall  be  higher  than  Agag,  that  part  of  Balaam's 
prophecy  explained.  I.  87,  88,  89. 

Agathocles,  diflblute  and  proud  in  the  exercife  of  his  power, 
I.  392.  the  people  of  Alexandria  rife  againft  him,  ibid,  caufe 
him,  his  relations  and  alTociates  to  be  put  to  death,  ibid. 

Alaric  and  the  Goths  invade  Italy  and  befiege  Rome,  IL  210. 

Alexander  the  great,  his  defigns  againft  the  Arabs  prevented 
by  his  death,  I.  46.  the  rapidity  of  his  conquefts,  I.  287, 
288.  the  three  chief  battles  he  had  with  the  king  of  Perfia, 
389.  is  met  by  the  high-prieft  in  his  way  to  Jerufalem,  290. 
enters  the  temple,  and  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  are  fhown 
him,  290,  291.  chara6lerized  in  that  book,  319.  his  death 
and  the  miferable  end  of  his  family,  296,  319.  is  fucceeded 
by  four  of  his  captains,  2Q7,  rio. 
■  Vol.il  Fff 


410  I      N      D      E      X. 

Alexander  Severus,  a  juil-  and  provident  emperor,  II.  195. 
Alexandria,   after  a  long  fiege,  taken  by  tlie  Saracens,  J.  223. 

the  faiiioLis  library  there,  when   founded  and  when  deitroy- 

ed,  223,  224. 
Alfric  in  iingland  in  the  tenth  century  writes  againil  tranfub- 

ftantiation,  II.  250,  251. 
Amalekltes,  Balaam's  prophecy  againft  them,  how  fulfilled,  L 

94—97- 

Ambrofe,  his  affirmation  about  Ant-ichrill-,  II.  132. 

Angel,  flying  in  the  midft  of  heaven  and  preachmg  the  ever- 
lafcing  gofpel,  II.  303.  what  meant  by  faying,  The  hour  of 
his  judgment  is  coi^u^  304. 

Angels,  feven,  having  the  {^\'^n  lafl  plagues,  II.  312.  pour  out 
the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  earth,  315,  &c. 

Antichrlft,  what  miflaken  notions  the  fathers  had  in  this  matter, 
and  how,  I.  267,  268.  how  long  he  is  to  continue,  276, 
277.  he  and  the  man  of  fm,  one  and  the  fame  perfon,  II.  130. 
the  opinion  of  Juftin  Martyr,  130.  Origen,  the  reformers  and 
others  about  him,  131-— 136.  hov/  the  true  notion  was  fup- 
prefTed  and  revived  again  with  the  reformation,  134 — 136. 
how  afterwards  it  became  unfafliionable,  and  now  grows 
into  repute  again,  187,  188.  the  blindnefs  of  the  papifts  in 
this  point,  188.  infamous  for  idola  ry  and  deteftable  cruelty, 
XL  326.  all  his  power  fhall  be  completely  fubdued,  and  Rome 
itfelf  deftroyed,  344.  defcribed  by  Daniel  and  the  prophets, 
383,  384.  the  prophets  defcribe  his  f\Q\Nrd'A^  manner  and 
circumltances  of  it,  384. 

Antigonus,  his  attempts  againfl:  the  Arabs  not  fuccefsful, 
I.  46. 

Antiochus  Epiphanes,  fucceeds  his  brother  Seieucus  Philopator, 
I.  340.  obtains  the  kingdom  by  flatteries,  340.  the  epithet  of 
vile  or  defpicable  given  hini  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  341. 
though  frantic  and  extravagant,  yet  fuccefsful  and  viclorious, 
341,  prefers  Jafan  to  the  high  prieflhood,  342.  afterwards 
advances  Menaleus  in  his  room,  342.  extravagant  in  vari- 
.ous  inrtances,  343.  comes  to  Joppa  and  Jerufalem,  344.  his 
great  fuccefs  againfl  Egypt,  345.  pretends  to  take  care  of 
the  intereft  of  his  nephev/ Philometor,  346.  determines  to  be 
revenged  on  the  people  of  Jerufalem  for  rejoicing  at  the  re- 
port of  his  death,  348.  takes  that  city  and  acflis  with  great 
cruelty,  348.  fends  Apollonius  afterv/ards  to  Jerufalem,  who 
defiles   the  city  and  fets   up  the  heathen  worfliip,  349.  ,the 


INDEX.  4U 

various  opinions  about  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  being  ac- 
compliflied  in  Antiochus,  137,  138.  affigns  two  cities  for 
maintaining  hi«:  favourite  concubine  Antiochis,  365.  the  aw- 
ful manner  of  his  death,  389. 

Antiochus  Nagnus,  fucceeds  his  brother  in  the  throne  of  Syria, 
I.  327.  his  army  being  defeated  by  Ptolemy,,  is  foiced  to 
folicit  a  peace,  328.  kills  the  rebel  Ach^eus  and  reduces  the 
eaftern  parts,  330.  acquires  great  riches,  ibid,  rifes  up  againft 
young  Ptolemy,  331.  takes  pofl^ilion  of  Ccele-Syria,  and 
Paleftine,  332.  defeats  Scopas  Ptolemy's  general,  333-  afpires 
after  more  conqueft  and  dominion,  335.  marries  his  daughter 
Cleopatra  to  Ptolemy,  336.  engages  in  a  war  with  the  Ro- 
mans, ibid,  is  routed  at  the  Straits  of  Thermopylae,  337.  th» 
latter  end  of  his  life  very  mean,  ibid,  attempting  to  plunder 
the  temple  of  Jupiter  Belus  is  ilain,  338. 

Apocalyps.     See  Revelation. 

Apoflafy  of  the  latter  times,  St.  Paul's  prophecy  about  this,  IL 
318.  the  nature  of  that  apoftafy,  339.  it  v/as  general,  140, 
141.  fome  particulars  of  this  apoftafy  about  dem.ons  and 
worfliipping  the  dead,  143,  144.  was  to  prevail  in  tlie 
latter  times,  146,  147.  prophefied  of  by  Daniel,  157.  by 
what  means  to  be  propagated,  158,  159.  the  notes  and 
characters  of  this  apoftafy,  139,  &c. 

Arabians,  difdain  to  acknowledge  Alexander  the  great,  I.  46. 
his  defigns  prevented  ao;ainft  them  by  his  death,  47.  beauti- 
ful fpots  and  fruitful  valleys  in  their  country,  44.  have  al- 
ways maintained  their  independency  againft  the  nations, 
45,  Sec.  againft  the  Egyptians  and  Allyrians,  45.  againft  the 
Perfians,  46.  againft  Alexander  and  his  fuccelibrs,  46,  Sec. 
againft  the  Romans,  47.  their  ftate  under  their  prophet  Mo- 
hammed and  afterwards,  and  now  under  the  Turks,  48,  49. 
what  is  faid  of  them  by  late  travellers,  42,  &c.  their  retain- 
ing the  fame  difpofition  and  manners  for  fo  many  ages,  won- 
derful, 52,  the  prophecies  concerning  this  people  fignally 
fulfilled  in  their  being  prefervcd  and  not  conquered,  52,  53. 
the  Arabs  in  fome  refpetSts  ref:;mble  the  Jews,  53.  never  yet 
fubdued  by  the  Turks,  376.  rob  anc^  plunder  the  Turks  as 
well  as  other  travellers,  377.  compared  to  locufts,  II.  217. 
the  kingdoms  and  dominions  acquired  by  them,  221.  The 
timeafligned  for  thei'r  hurting-and  tormenting  men,  222. 

Arnold  of  Brefcia,  in  the  twelfth  century,  burnt  for  preaching 
againft  the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope  and  clei-gy,  II.  Z56. 


412  I      N      D      E      X. 

Afhur.  And  jhall  ajfllci  Ajhiir^  what  meant  by  theTc  words  in 
Balaam's  prophecy,  I.  352,  353. 

Afia,  the  feven  epiftles  to  the  feven  churches  there,  II.  169,  &c. 
why  thefe  feven  addrefled  particularly,  178.  the  excellent 
form  and  ftru£lure  of  thefe  epiftles,  178.  in  what  fenfe  pro- 
phetical, 178.  the  prefent  ftate  of  thefe  once  flourifhing 
churches,  180,  &c.  the  churches  lay  In  a  circular  form,  185, 
their  method  and  order  obferved  of  addreiling  them,  185, 
186.  their  prefent  ftate  a  very  ftrong  proof  of  the  truth  of 
prophecy,  186. 

AfTyrians  terrible  enemies  both  to  Ifrael  and  Judah,  I.  149,  he. 
Ifaiah's  prophecy  agalnft  them,  150,  &c.   See  Nineveh. 
Attila,  with  his  Huns  lays  v/afte  Alacedon  and  Greece,  Gaul 
and  Italy,  II.   210.  the  fcourge  of  God  and  terror  of  men, 
212. 

Auftin,  his  opinion  about  Antichrift,  II.  133,  134. 

B 

BABYLON,  prophecies  concerning  it,  I.  165' — 185.  is,  as 
well  as  Nineveh,  an  enemy  to  the  people  of  God,  165. 
a  great  and  ancient  city,  165.  confiderably  improved  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  166.  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world,  166. 
its  deftruction  foretold  by  Ifaiah  and  Jeremiah,  167.  prophe- 
cies about  Cyrus  the  conqueror  of  Babylon,  fulhlled,  168. 
the  time  of  its  redu6lion  foretold,  ibid,  befieged  by  the 
Medes  and  Perfians,  169.  Armenians  and  other  nations  uni- 
ted agalnft  'it,  170.  the  Babylonians  hide  themfelves  within 

■  their  walls,  ibid,  the  river  dried  up,  171.  the  city  taken  du- 
ring a  feaft,  172.  the  facSls  related  by  Herodotus  and  Xe- 
nophon,  and  therefore  no  room  for  fcepticifm,  ibid,  the 
prophets  foretold  its  total  defolation,  173.  thefe  prophecies 
fulfilled  by  degrees,  ibid,  its  ftate  under  Cyrus,  174.  under 
Darius,  175.  under  Xerxes,  176  the  accounts  of  it  fmce 
that  time  by  Diodorus,  177.  by  Strabo,  178.  by  Pliny,  ibid. 
by  Paufanius,  ibid,  by  Maximus  Tyrius  and  Lucian,  ibid, 
by  Jerome,  ibid,  accounts  bv  later  authors,  179.  bv  Ben- 
jamin of  Tudela,  ibid,  by  Texeira,  ibid,  by  Rauwolf,  ibid, 
by  Peter  della  Valle,  180.  by  Tavcrnier,  181.  by  Salmon, 
ibid,  by  Mr.  Hanway,  182.  by  thefe  accounts  it  appears 
howpunclually  the  prophecies  were  fulfilled,  183,  184. 

Babylon,  the  fall  and  deiirudtion  of  fpiritual  Babylon,  II.  305. 


INDEX.  413 

after  her  fall  becomes  a  fccne  of  defolation,  334,  &c.  the 
fall  of  Roman  Babylon  and  her  fudden  deftru£tion,  306,  he. 
the  confequerices  of  her  fall,  the  lamentations  of  fome  and 
the  rejoicing  of  others,  337.  her  irrecoverable  and  utter 
defolation,  338.  the  church  joins  in  praifes  and  thankfgiv- 
ings  to  God  for  his  truth  and  righteoufnefs  in  judging  this 
adolatrous  city,  340,  kc.  a  prophecy  about  Babylon  parti- 
cularly fulfilled,  394,  kc. 

Babylonian,  the  firft  of  the  four  empires,  compared  to  a  lion. 
L  253.  with  eagles  wings,  ibid,  with  a  man's  heart,  254. 

Bacon  (Lord)  wilheth  for  a  hiftory  of  the  prophecies  compa- 
red with  the  events,  I.  21.  How  he  would  have  it  writ-- 
ten,  II.  166. 

Badby,  .convided  of  herefy  and  burnt  in  Smithfield,  II.  267. 
refufes  an  offered  pardon,  and  choofes  to  die  with  a  good 
confcience,  ibid. 

Balaam,  the  prophet,  a  heathen  and  an  immoral  man,  L  81. 
the  ftory  of  Balaam's  afs  conhdered,  83,  84.  the  flile  of  his 
prophecies  beautiful,  85.  his  prophecy  of  the  fmgular  cha- 
rader  of  the  Jewifh  nation,  how  fulfilled  to  this  day,  86,  87, 
his  prophecy  of  their  victories  much  the  fame  as  Ifaac's  and 
Jacob's  87.  that  of  the  king  higher  than  Agag,  how  fulfilled, 
88,  89.  his  preface  to  his  later  prophecies  explained,  89,  90. 
his  prophecy  of  a  ftar  and  fcepter  to  fmite  the  prince  of 
Moab,  how  fulfilled,  90.  who  meant  by  the  fons  of  Sheth, 
90,  91.  fome  parts  of  this  prophecy  underftood  of  the  Mef- 
liah  and  David,  92,  93.  his  prophecy.againftthe  Amalekites 
how  fulfilled,  94,  95.  againit  the  Kenites,  and  who  the  Ke- 
nittes  were,  96,  97.  his  prophecies  of  the  coaft  of  Chittim, 
of  Afhurand  Ener,  98 — 102.  what  conclufions  to  be  drawn 
from  the  prophecies  of  this  wicked  man,  ibid. 

Baronius,  his  character  of  the  tenth  century,  II.  249. 

Bafnage,  a  remarkable  pafiage  in  his  ftory  about  the  Jews,  I. 
124.  His  reafons  for  the  Jews  not  dwelling  at  Jerufalem, 
11.  89,  90. 

Beaft,  with  feven  heads  and  ten  horns  defcribed,  II.  283.  de- 
notes a  tyrannical  idolatrous  empire,  328,  329.  m.ark$ 
whereby  the  bead  was  diftinguifhed,  296.  his  words  and  ac- 
tions wonderful,  289.  his  blafphemies,  290,  his  making 
war  with  the  faints,  291.  the  myftery  of  the  beaft  that  car- 
rieth  the  woman,  327,  kc.  the  myftery  of  the  beaft  with 
the  feven  heads  and  tea  hqfns,  329.    the  beaft  with  tw® 


414  I'    N      D      E      X. 

horns,  defcrlbed,  293.  his  power  and  authority,  294...  pre- 
tends to  fupport  It  by  great  figns  and  wonders,  Ibid,  what 
meant  by  the  image  of  the  beaft,  295,  296.  what  by  his 
mark  or  charadter,  296.  thofe  without  his  mark  not  fuftered 
to  buy  or  fell,  297,  &c.  the  number  of  the  beaft  explained, 
299,  &c.  the  ftruggles  of  the  true  church  with  the  beaft,  302. 
the  ruin  and  deftruction  of  them  who  worihip  the  beaft,  304. 
denunciation  of  judgments  againft  the  followers  of  the  beaft, 
311.  the  threefold  ftate  of  the  beaft,  328.  the  explication  of 
its  feven  heads  and  ten  horns,  329.  the  power  and  ftrength 
given  to  the  beaft,  334. 

Benjamin,  this  tribe  became  an  appendage  to  Judah,  I.  75. 
the  prophecy  of  Jacob  concerning  them  fulfilled,  68,  &c. 

Benjamin  of  Tudela  his  travels  to  Jerufalem,  I.  120.  his  ac- 
count of  its  defolate  ftate,  ibid. 

Berengarius,  writes  againft  tranfubftantiation,  II.  253.  com- 
pelled to  burn  his  writings,  ibid,  his   numerous   followers, 

ibid. 

Berenice,  daughter  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  married  to  Antl- 
ochus  Theus,  L' 323.  her  father  called  the  dowry-giver, 
ibid.   Is  murdered  by  order  of  Laodice,  Ibid. 

Bernard,  inveigh's  againft  the  corruption  of  the  clergy  and  ty- 
ranny of  the  popes,  II.  249. 

Bertram,  infcribes  his  book  to  the  Emperor,  II.  247.  his  opi- 
nion againft  the  dodtrine  of  tranfubftantiation,  ibid. 

Bohemians,  their  opinions  in  religion,  II.  268.  &c.  fight  for 
their  religion,  and  ar«  victorious  at  firft,  270.  are  defeated, 
and  retire  to  the  mountains  and  caves,  ibid. 

Bollngbroke  (Lord)  cenlured  for  his  Indecent  reflections  on 
Noah's  prophecy,  I*.  37.  his  ignorance,  about  the  Codex 
Alexandrinus,  38.  his  blunder  about  the  Roman  hiflorians, 
39.  his  fneer  about  bliev^rs,  refuted,  ibid,  condemned  by 
himfelf,  ibid,  had   great  talents,  but  m.ifapplied   them,  ibid. 

Book,  vifron  of  the  angel  with  the  little  book,  II.  1 10,  &c.  the 
contents  of  it,  135,  136. 

Boyle,  Mr.  the  ledture  founded  by  him,  II.  42.  the  author  ap- 
pointed to  preach  that  leCIure,  ibid,  the  fubjeCt  agreeable  to 
the  defign  of  the  founder,  50.     His   merits   and  excellence, 

50,51- 

Britain,  Chrlftlanlty  planted  in  it  before  the  deftruClion  of  Je- 
rufalem, I.  410. 

Burden  of  Egypt,  that  phrafc  explained,  I.  206,  207. 


INDEX.  41S 

Burnet  (Bifhop)  his  account  of  Biftiop  Lloyd's  ftudying  the 

Revelation,  II.  166. 
B'dintt  (Dr.)  his  ftrange  notion  of  Gog  and  Magog,  II.  355. 


CALVIN   reputed'  wife  for  writing  no  comment  upon  the 
Revelation,  II.  165. 

Canaan,  the  prophetical  curfe  upon  him  and  his  poilerity  can- 
fidered,  I,  27,  ^c.  his  curfe  properly  a  curfe  upon  the  Ca- 
naanites,  28.  their  v.'ickednefs  very  great,  ibid,  the  curfe  in- 
cludes the  fubjecStion  of  his  dcfcendents  to  thofe  of  Shem 
and  Japhet,  29.  the  completion  of  it  from  Joiliuah's  time  to 
this  day,  30,  ^c.  a  different  reading  propofed  about  this 
prophecy,  32.  his  curfe  purfued  his  pofterity  to  the  utmoft 
parts  of  the  earth;  194. 

Carolin  books,  by  v/hom  written,  II.  245,  &c.  prove  the  wor- 
fhip  ofimagestobe  contrary  to  fcripiure,  ibid. 

Century,  tenthj  wicked  and  ignorant,  II.'  249.  principles  and 
ftate  of  the  church  in  that  period,  249,  250.  the  eleventh 
much  of  the  fame  complexion  with  the  tenthj  252.  the  fix- 
teentb  the  age  of  reformation,  271. 

Charlemain,  contributes  to  the  eftablifhment  of  the  power  of 
the  Pope,  I.  273,  &c.  oppofes  the  worfhip  of  images. 

Chittim,  the  prophecy  of  ihips  from  that  coaft,  I.  lOO.  what  to 
be  underfbood  by  the  land  and  fhips  of  Chittim,  lOi,  349. 

Chrift,  fome  of  his  prophecies  and  of  his  apoftles  recorded, 
I.  390.  a  fummany  of  our  Saviour's  prophecies,  391,  392. 
none  more  remarkable  than  thofe  about  the  deltrudiioa  of 
Jerufalem,  Vv'hich  were  publifhed  feveral  years  before  that 
event,  392,  393.  our  Saviour's  tendernefs  in  weeping  over 
Jerufalem,  394.  denounceth  perfecution  to  be  the  lot  of  his 
difciples,  411.  his  name  ^/;^  word  of  God^  II.  343.  confirms 
the  authority,  of  the  book  of  Revelation,  364,  365.  his 
fecond  conaing  one  principal  topic  of  that  book,  355,  356. 

Chriftians,  greatly  perfecuted,  I.  407.  apoftafy  and  other  evils 
follow,  ibid,  he  who  endures  to  the  end  fhall  be  faved,  408, 
409.      , 

Church,  perfecuted  by  the  great  red  dragon,  II.  277,  &c.  re- 
prefented  as  a  mother  bearing  children  to  Chrilt,  278.  in 
time  brought  fuch  as  were  promoted  to  the  empire,  283. 
her  flight  afterwards  into  the  wildernefs,  2S4.  barbarous  na- 


4i6  INDEX. 

tions  excited  to  overwhelm  her,  but  afterwards  fubnit  to  the 

Chriftian  church,  283.   the  ftate  of  the  true  church  in  oppo- 

fition  to  that  of  the  beaft,    302,  &c. 
Chryroftome,  his  interpretation  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream,  I. 

347 — 349.  his  dcfcripiion  of  antichrifl,  II.  134. 
Clarke,  (Or.)  his  account   of  fome  extraordinary  prophecies, 

II.  394- 

Claude  Sifhop  of  Turin  fows  the  feeds  of  the  reformation  in  his 
diocefe  in  the  ninth  century,  II.  248. 

Clergy,  fecond  marriage  at  firlt  forbidden  them,  I.  366.  after- 
wards reftrained  from  marrying  at  all,  ibid. 

Collins,  his  eleven  obje6lions  againit  Daniel's  prophecies,  con- 
fidered  and  refuted,  II.  43 — 49. 

Conftantine  the  great,  the  chriiHan  religion  eftabliftied- by  him, 

II.  202. 

Conftantinople,  befieged  in  vain  by  the  Saracens,  II.  218.  be- 
iieged  by  Mohammed  the  fecond,  229.  the  city  then  taken, 
and  an  end  put  to  the  Grecian  empire,  230. 

Conflitutions  of  Clarendon,  II.  254. 

Creatures,  to  be  received  with  thankfgiving,  II.  163.  the  un- 
grateful in  this  matter  rebuked,  164. 

Croifades  or  expeditions  of  the  weftern  Chriftlans  to'the  holy 
land,  II.  86.   How  many  periflied  in  thefe  expeditions,  88". 

Cyrus,  the  conqueror  of  Babylon,  foretold  by  Ifaiah,  I.  168. 
the  ftate  of  it  under  him,  174.  uniting  the  kingdoms  of  Me- 
dia and  Perfia,  285'. 

D 

DANIEL,  the  genuincnefs  of  his  prophecies  vindicated,  I. 
230.  his  credit  as  a  prophet  eftabllilied  by  prophecies 
fulfilled  at  this  time,  231.  his  interpretation  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's dream,  his  firft  prophecy,  232,  233.  his  vifion  cf 
the  four  firPc  empires  of  the  world,  252.  the  form  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's great  image  how  reprefented  to  Daniel,  ibid,  his 
vifion  of  four  beaftsj'ibid.  what  kingdoms  they  reprefent, 
253—258.  what  reprefented  by  the  fourth  beaft  with  ten 
horns,  260.  the  opinions  of  feveral  writers,  261,  262. 
what  meant  by  the  little  horn,  268,  ^c.  the  opinion  of  fome 
great  men  in  this  matter,  270,  271.  all  thofe  kingdoms  to 
be  fucceeded  by  that  of  the  Meffiah,  277,  278.  Daniel's  vifi- 
on and  Nebuchadnezzar's  compared  together,  279,  &c.  their 


INDEX. 


417 


Vifions  extend  to  tlie  confummation  of  all  things,  280,  281. 
will  caft  light  upon  fubfequent  prophecies,  and  thefe  reflect 
light  upon  them  again,  ibid.      Sec  Nebuchadnezzar. 
Daniel,  the  languages  in  which  his  prophecies  were  v/ritten,  I. 
282.  his   viiions,  ibid,  that  of  a   Ram   and   He-goat,  283. 
much  concerned   for   the   afflidions  that  were  to  befall  the 
people  of  God,  313.  the  revelation  made  to  him  when  ad- 
vanced in  years,  316.  the  prophecy  about  the  Perfian  em- 
pire and  four  of  their  kings,  317,  318.  that  about  a  mighty- 
king  in  Greece,  319.  his  prophecies  about  the  king  of  the 
South  and  the   kmg  of  the   North,   320,  &c.  a  conclufion 
from    the  exa6lnefs  and  particularity  of  the  prophecy,  352, 
353.  other  parts  of  the  prophecy  to  whom  applicable,  354, 
355.  fome  parts  agree  better  with  Antichrift  than  Antiochus, 
364,  &c.  a  part  of  his  prophecies  yet  to  be  fulfilled,  380.  fome 
expreffions  of  the  laft  chapter  to  be  applied  to  the  refurrec- 
tion  of  the  juft   and  the  unjuft,  384,  &c.  remarks   on  the 
time  of  the  accomplifhment  of  Daniel's  prophecies,  385,  &c. 
his    prophecy   amazing,  and  extended  to  many  ages,  388. 
his  prophecies  reach   beyond  the  times  of  Antiochus  Kpi- 
phanes,  II.  380.  fome  very  particularly  fulfilled,  379.  &c. 
Daniel,  his  prophecies  vindicated  againit  eleven  objections  of 
unbelievers,  I.  42.    the    firft    relating   to  his    age    refuted, 
43.  the   fecond  relating  the  miftake   of  the  king's  names 
and  to  Nebuchadnezzar's  madnefs,  ibid,  the  third  relating  to 
Greek  words,  44.  the  fourth  about  the  verlion  of  the  Seventy, 

45.  the  fifth  about  the  clearnefs  of  his  prophefies,  ibid,  the 
dixth    from  his   being  omitted  in  the  book  of  Ecclefiafticus, 

46.  the  feventh  relating  to  Jonathan's  making  no  Targum 
on  Daniel,  Ibid,  the  eighth  from  the   ftile  of  his  Chaldee, 

47.  the  ninth  from  the  forgeries  of  the  Jews,  ibid,  the  tenth 
from  his  uncommon  pun6luallty.in  fixing  the  times,  48.  the 
eleventh  about  his  fetting  forth  fa(Sls  imperfe6tly,  and  con- 
trary'  to  other  hiftories,  48,49.  the  external  and  internal 
evidence  for  th^  genui/ienefs  of  his  book,  50. 

Daubuz,  one  of  the  bed  Interpreters  of  the  Revelation,  II.  168. 

his  hard  fate  in  the  world,  ibid.  ^ 

David,  fome  of  Balaam's  prophecie's  fulfilled  by  him,  I.  9c,  &c. 
Dead,  thofc  bleiled  v*^ho  die  in  the  Lord,  II,  307.  what  meant 

by  being  blefled  from  henceforth,  308. 
Demxons,  the  apoftafv  to  confift  in  worfliipping  of  demons,  II. 
Vol.  II.*        '  G  g  g 


4i8  INDEX. 

143,  14.4.  were  fuppofed  to  be  middle  Beings  jn  the  theo- 

logy  of  the  Gentiles,    144,  145.  two  kinds  of  demons,  145 

—147. 
Diocletian,  the  tenth  perfecution  begun  by  him,  II.  201.   more 

iharp  and  bloody  than  any,  ibid,    from  thence  a  memorable 

aera  to  the  Chtiilians,  ibid. 
Dionyfms  of  HalicarnalTus,  his  account  of  the  fuperiority  of 

the  Roman  empire,  I.  260. 
Dragon,    the  church  perfecuted  by  the  great  red  dragon,  II. 

277,  &c.    the    heathen  Roman   empire    reprefented  by  it, 

278.  his  jealoufy  of  the  church  from  the  beginning,  ibid, 
the  dragon  depofed  perfecutes  the  church,  283.  attemps 
to  reftore  the  pagan  and  ruin  the  Chriftian  religion,  ibid, 
takes  another  method  of  perfecuting  the  church,  283. 


EBER,  who  meant  by  Eber,  I.  100.  and  fhall  aiHi£t  Eber, 
meaning  of  that  prophecy.  lOO,  lOi. 

Edomites,  conquered  by  David,  I.  59,  Szc.  defeated  by  Judas 
Maccabeus,  and  obliged  to  embrace  the  Jewifh  religion,  ibid, 
the  prophecies  of  their  utter  deftru£tion  fulfilled,  64. 

Egypt,  prophecies  concerning  it,  I.  205.  &c.  fiimous  for  its 
antiquity,  ibid,  no  lefs  celebrated  for  its  wifdom,  ibid,  the 
parent  of  fuperftition  as  well  as  the  miftrefs  of  learning,  206. 
had  fuch  conne6tions  with  the  Jews  that  it  is  the  fubject  of 
feveral  prophecies,  206,  207.  the  phrafe  of  the  burden  of 
Egypt  explained,  207,  208.  itsconqueft  by  Nebuchadnezzar 
foretold  by  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel,  208.  how  fulfilled,  ibid. 
&:c.  its  conqueft  by  the  Perfians  foretold  by  Ifaiah,  and  how 
fulfilled,  210,  &c.  and  its  conqueft  by  Alexander,  and  the 
fpreading  of  the  true  religion  in  the  land,  214,  &c.  how 
fulfilled,  215.  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  that  it  fhould  be  a 
bafe  tributary  kingdom,  218.  the  truth  of  it  fhewn  from 
that  time  to  this,  219.  its  ftate  under  the  Babylonians,  220. 
under  the  Perfians,  ibid,  under  the  Macedonians,  222.  under 
the  Romans,*223.  "r»der  the  Saracens  with  the  burning  of 
the  Alexandrian  library,  223,  &c.  under  the  Mamalucs, 
225.  under  the  Turks,  226,  reflections  upon  the  character 
of  the  Egyptians,  227.  a  prophecy  of  its  being  fubdued  by 
the  Othman  emperor,  I.  379. 

Englifh  kings,  not  willing  to  pay  homage  to  the  Pope,  II.  252. 


INDEX.  419 

Ephefus,  that  church  admonifhed  to  repent,  II.  180.  her 
candleftick  now  removed,  and  the  feven  churches  ruined, 
ibid,  the  firft  epiftle  of  the  feven  churches  addrefTed  to  them, 
ibid,  its  former  magnificence,  but  prefent  ruinous  condition, 
i8k  the  denunciation  againft  it  flrikingly  fulfilled,  ibid. 

Ephraim,  no  more  a  people,  I.  127,  Sec.  II.  393.  now  com* 
prehended  under  the  name  of  Judah,  ibid. 

Epiphani us,  zealous  againft  the  worjGhip  of  faints  and  images, 
I.  149.  an  illuftrative  paflage  of  his  about  the  dodtrine  of 
demons,  ibid. 

Euphrates,  what  meant  by  drying  up  tliat  river,  and  by  the 
kings  of  the  eaft,  II.  318.  a  prophecy  of  the  Euphratean 
horfemen,  124,  &c. 

Eufebius,  his  comparifon  of  Chrift  and  Mofes,  I.  107,  io8, 
the  fame  enlarged  by  a  modern  author,  109,  &c.  » 

Ezekiel,  his  prophecies  concerning  Tyre,  I.  185,  &c.  con- 
cerning Egypt,  208,  &c.  Gog  and  Magog,  II.  383. 


FLUENTIUS,    bifhop  of  Florence,    in  the  twelfth 
century,  preaches  that  Antichrift  was  come,  II.  225. 
Fornication,  in  fcripture  often  put  for  idolatry,  II.   322.  what, 

meant  by  drinking  the  wine  of  her  fornication,  ibid. 
Franks  or  Latin  Chriftians  march  to  the  holy  land,  and  take 
Jerufalem,  11.  86,  &c. 

G 

GALLIENUS,  thirty  ufurpers  in  his  reign,  II.  197.  they 
come  to  miferable  ends,  ibid,  fword  and  famine  in  his 

reign,  ibid. 
Gallus  and  Volufian,  peftilence  and  difeafes  in  their  reigns, 

II.  198. 
Gathering  of  the  people,  the  different  conftru<S^ions  of  that 

prophecy,  I.  74.  the  full  completion  of  this  prophecy,  75. 

this  an  invincible  argument  that  Jefus  is  the  Meiliah,  79. 
Gauls  and   other  nations,  their  families  not  diftinguifhed  as 

thofe  of  the  Jews,  I.  133.  134. 
Genferic,  king  of  the   Vandals  in  Africa,  takes  and  plunders 

Rome,  II.  213. 
Gentiles,  promifes  of  their  calling  and  obedience,  L  143.  this 


420  INDEX. 

efFe.5led  by  inconfiderrible  perfons  and  in  a  fliort  time,  .144. 

what  meant  by  their  times  being  fulfilled,  II.  398,  399. 
Gog  and  Magog,  in  Ezekiel,  the  fame  as  the  Turks,  11.   383. 

the  enemies  of  the  Chriftian  church,  354.  who  they  fhall  be, 

not  eafily  determined,  ibid. 
Goat.     See  Ram  and  He-?oat, 

Godfrey  of  Boulogne,  chofen  king  of  Jerufalem,  II.  87. 
Gofpel  publiflied  before  the  ueftruclion  of  Jerufalem,  I.  411. 

the  propagation  of  it  northward  and  fouthward,  eaftward 

and  vveftward,   ibid,  its  fudden  and  amazing  progrefs,  412. 

at  what  time  the  four  gofpels  were  written,  392,  &c.  will 

finally  prevail  over  all  enemies  and  oppofers,  391. 
Greek  church,  its  m>iferable  condition  among  the  Turks,  II. 

131.  chaftifed  by  the  Saracens,  ruined  by  the  Turks,  ibid. 
Greeks  and  Romans,  conquered  the  Canaanites,  I.  31. 
Gregory  the  great,  what  he  faid  about  antichrifr,  II.  134. 
Gregory  VII.   denominated  Kell-brand,  II.  252.    forbids  the 

marriage  of  the  clergy,  254.  their  expoftulations  againft  this 

prohibidon,  ibid. 
Grofthead,  or  Greathed  Robert,  biOiop  of  Lincoln,  for  his  free 

fentiments  excommunicated  by  the  pope,  and  appeals  to  the 

tribunal  ofChrift,  II.  263, 
Grotius  and  Collins,  their  notion  refuted,  I.  261,  kc, 
Grotius  ccnfured,  for  his  contracted  explanation. of  the  prophe- 
cies, I.  238.  II.  III.  his  explanation  of  the  Man  of  Sm, 

refuted,  112,  113. 


H 


H 

A  Al,  his  bad  behaviour  towards   his  father,  I.  26.  the 
curfc  upon  him  and  his  pofterity,  27,  &c. 
Hammond,  his  hypothefis  of  the  Alan  of  Sin^  refuted,  II.  113. 
Han  way,  his  account  of  the  Arabians,  I.  50. 
Heathen,    a   ceremony    among    them  to  curfe  their  enemies, 

I.  12. 
Heaven  opened,  and  our  Saviour  cometh   riding  upon  a  v/hite 
horfe,  II.  343.  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  fucceed  the 

Herodotus,  relates  that  the  Arabs  were  never  reduced  by  the 
Perfians,  I.  45.  his  account  and  others  about  the  heighth  of 
Babylon's  wall,  176. 


INDEX.  421 

Homer  and  other  ancients,  their  opinion  of  the  foul  being  pro- 
phetic near  death,  1.  65.  what  gav^e  rife  to  that  opinion,  66. 

Horns  in  prophetic  language  kingdoms,  166,  kc. 

Horfe,  white,  an  account  of  thac  viiion,  li.  190.  vifion  of  the 
red  horfe,  192,  of  a  black  horfe,   194.  of  a  pale  hoife,   196, 

Hofsa,  his  prophecy  of  the  Jews  return  in  the  latter  days,  11. 
398,  &c. 

Huetius  his  account  of  Tyre,  I.  202. 

Huns,  Goths,  and  other  Barbarians,  invade  the  empire  after 
the  death  of  Theodofius,  H.   210. 

Hufs,  John,  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  tv/o  faithful  v/itnefTes,  11. 
240.  fufFer  death  with  fortitude,  268.  their  fentence  con- 
trary to  faith  and  engagement,  ibid,  the  opinions  of  their 
followers,  268,  269. 

J 

JACOB  and  Efau,  the  prophecies  concerning  them,  not 
verified  in  themfelves,  but  in  their  pouerity,  I.  55,  56. 
the  families  of  Efau  and  Jacob  two  different  nations,  57, 
58.  the  family  of  the  elder  fubje6t  to  that  of  the  younger, 
58,  59.  in  fituation  and  other  temporal  advantages  much 
alike,  60,  61.  the  elder  fhould  delight  in  v/ar,  yet  be  fubdued 
by  the  younger,  61,  62.  but  aftrewards  fliould  fhake  off  the 
dominion  of  the  younger,  62,  63.  the  younger  fuperior  in 
fpiritual  gifts,  63,  64.  the  happy  inftrument  of  conveying 
thefe  fpiritual  bleffings  to  ail  nations,  64,  the  pofterity  of 
Efau  utterly  deftroyed  according  to  the  prophecies,  ibid. 

Jacob,  his  prophecies  concerning  his  fons,  particularly  Judah, 
I.  65 — 75,  foretold  his  fons  v/hat  fhould  befal  them  in  the 
latter  days,  67.  bequeaths  the  temporal  inheritance  to  all 
his  fons,  ibid,  limits  the  defcent  of  the  bleffed  feed  to  Ju- 
dah,  ibid,  adopts  the  two  fons  of  Jofeph,  ManalTeh,  and 
Ephraim,  ibid. 

Jafon,  the  high-prieft  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  I.  342,  is  de- 
pofed,  and  Menelaus  is  advanced  in  his  room,  343.  marches 
to  Jerufalem,  and  exercifes  great  cruelties  on  the  citizens,  348. 

Jeremiah,  his  prophecies  concerning  the  prefervation  of  the 
Jews,  and 'deftruc^ion  of  their  enemies,  I.  133.  concerning 
Babylon,  167,  &c.  concerning  Egypt,  208,  kc. 

Jerome,    vindicates    the    genuineaefs  of  Daniel's  prophecies 


422  INDEX. 

againft  Porphyry,  1,  368.  Interprets  the  fourth  kingdom  of 
the  Romans,  241.  his  notion  of  the  little  horn,  267.  what 
he  iiiys  of  Antichrift,  II.  133. 

Jcrufalem,  the  high-prieft  meets  Alexander  going  thither,  II. 
290.  that  account  rejected  by  fome,  but  fuliiciently  vindica- 
ted by  others,  291,  292.  the  great  objections  to  the  credibi- 
lity of  this  ftory  anfvvered,  293,  &c.  our  Saviour's  prophe- 
cies relating  to  its  deftrucSlion,  392,  Scc.  the  magnificence 
of  the  temple,  394.  the  prophecies  exactly  fulfilled  by  the 
utter  deftru^tion  of  t^ie  city  and  temple,  395,  &cc.  the  phra- 
fes  of  the  coming  of  Chrift  and  the  end  of  the  world  fignify 
the  deftruction  of  Jerufalem,  398,  &c.  the  figns  of  his  com- 
ing, and  of  its  deftruclion,  399.  the  perfecutions  before  its 
deftrucStion,  400.  the  great  diftrefs  and  famine  at  the  fiege 
and  after  it,  402,  Sec.  a  horrid  ftory  of  a  woman  devouring 
her  own  child,  II.  55.  the  calamities  and  miferies  without  a 
a  parallel,  57.  v/hat  to  be  underftood  by  the  days  being  fhort- 
ened,  59,  &c.  its  deftrudion  and  the  diftblution  of  the  Jew- 
ifh  polity,  73.  the  great  numbers  that  periflied  during  the 
iiege,  77,  78.  the  number  of  the  captives,  78,  78.  never 
fmce  in  the  poiTeffion  of  the  Jews,  ibid,  firft  fubjecl  to  the 
Romans,  afterwards  to  others,  ibid,  the  defolation  of  it 
complete,  80.  its  condition  under  Adrian,  81.  the  attempt 
of  Julian  to  rebuild  it  miraculoufly  defeated,  83.  ftate  of 
Jerufalem  under  the  fucceeding  emperors,  84,  &c.  taken 
and  plu.ndered  by  the  Perfians,  84.  fur  rendered  to  the  Sara- 
cens, 85.  pafTes  from  the  Saracens  to  the  Turks,  then  to 
the  Franks,  and  afterwards  to  the  Egyptians  and  others,  85, 
he.  at  prefent  in  the  hands  of  the  Turks  of  the  Othman 
Race,  86,  Sec.  prophecies  of  what  was  to  follow  upon  its  de- 
iIru61:ion,  92.  fome  paflages  relating  to  its  deftruction  in  the 
goipei  explained,  92,  ^c.  particularly  about  the  angels  and 
even  the  Son  not  knowing  the  time,  95.  its  deftru6fion  typi- 
cal of  the  end  of  the  world,  96.  the  exad  completion  of  thefe 
prophecies  a  ftrong  proof  of  Revelation,  97,  98.      See  Jews. 

Jerufalem,  a  defcription  of  the  new  Jerufalem,  II.  361.  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  defcription,  362.  the  particulars  confirmed 
by  the  angel,  ibid. 

Jews  and  Arabs,  refemble  each  other,  I.  53.  the  Jews  at  pre- 
fent very  numerous,  55.  the  xxviiiih  of  Deuteronomy  a 
picture  of  their  prefent  ftate,  113.  a  prophecy  of  their  ene- 
mies coming  from  far,  how  fulfilled,  114.  and  of  the  cruelty 


INDEX. 


4^3 


of  their  enemies,  how  fulfilled,  ibid,  the  fieges  of  their  ci- 
ties, 215.  their  dillrefs  and  famine  in  the  lieges,  116.  the 
women  eating  their  own  children,  117.  their  great  calami- 
mities  and  (laughters,  118.  their  being  carried  into  Egypt,  and 
fold  for  flaves  at  a  low  price,  118,  119.  their  being  plucked 
from  off  their  own  hand,  119,  120.  their  being  difperfcd 
into  all  nations,  ibid,  their  ftili  llibiifting  as  a  diftinit  people, 
121.  their  finding  no  reft,  ibid,  their  being  opprefTed  and 
fpoiled,  122.  their  children  taken  from  them,  ibid,  their 
madnefs  and  dcfperation,  123.  their  ferving  other  gods,  ibid, 
their  becoming  a  proverb  aiid  by-word,  224.  the  long  con- 
tinuance of  their  plagues,  125.  the  fulfilment  of  thefe  anci- 
ent prophecies  very  afFecling  and  convincing,  ibid,  prophe- 
cies relative  to  their  prefent  ft  ate,  126.  and  about  the  refto- 
ration  of  the  two  tribes,  and  the  diflblution  of  the  ten,  126, 
Sec.  the  time  of  the  reftoration  of  the  two  tribes  foretold, 
126.  fulfilled  at  three  periods,  127.  the  prophecy  about  the 
ten  tribes,  how  fulfilled,  129.  where  they  are  at  prefent. 
Ibid.  &c.  vain  conjectures  of  the  Jews  thereupon,  129.  not 
all  returned  with  the  two  tribes,  130.  nor  fwallowed  up 
among  the  heathen  nations,  131.  the  reafon  of  the  diftindi- 
on  between  the  two  tribes  and  the  ten  tribes,  133.  the  pro- 
phecy of  the  Jews  wonderful  prefervation,  and  the  deftru6tion 
of  their  enemies,  ibid,  &c.  their  prefervation  one  of  the 
moft  illuftrious  a<3:s  of  divine  Providence,  ibid.  &c.  provi- 
dence no  lefs  fignal  in  the  deftrudlion  of  their  enemies.  134., 
135.  and  that  not  only  of  nations^  but  of  fingle  perfons,  ibid, 
the  defolation  of  Judea  another  inftance  of  the  truth  of  divine 
prophecy,  136,  &c.  foretold  by  the  prophets,  136.  the  pre- 
ient  ftate  of  Judea  anfwerable  to  the  prophecies,  137.  no 
objedion  from  hence  of  its  being  a  land  flowing  v/ith  milk 
and  honey,  ibid,  the  ancients,  heathen  as  well  as  Jews,  tsftify 
it  to  have  been  a  good  land,  137,  138.  an  account  of  it  by 
two  modern  travellers,  138,  &c.  the  prophecies  of  the  infi- 
«delity  and  reprobation  of  the  Jews  how  fulfilled,  141.  the 
prophecies  concerning  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  have  not 
had  their  intire  completion,  143.  what  hath  been  accomp- 
Jifhed,  a  fuificient  pledge  of  what  is  to  come,  144.  a  difTiia- 
five  from  the  perfecution  of  the  Jews,  and  humanity  and 
charity  recommended,  145,  Sec.  prophecies  relating  to  other 
nations  in  connection  with  the  Jev/s,  148. 


424  I      N      D      EX. 

Jews,  their  calamities  and  miferies  without  a  parallel,  II.  57. 
the  caufe  of  their  heavy  Judgments,  lOO.  fome  correfpon- 
dence  between  their  crime  and  their  punifhment,  loi.  on 
this  occafion,  a  ferious  application  made  to  Chriftians,  lOi, 
Szc.  are  fuccefsful  in  taking  their  city  from  the  Romans,  80. 
are  afterwards  fubdued  with  moft  terrible  daughter,  81.  are 
fold  like  horfcs,  ibid,  a  landing  monument  of  the  truth  of 
ChrilVs  predictions,  82.  their  great  fm  and  their  punifh- 
ment, 83.  many  prophecies  of  their  converfion  and  rellora- 
tion,  II.  386,  3S9.  See  Jerufalem. 
Impollors  and  falfe  Chrifts,  at  the  fiege  of  Jerufalem,  II.  62. 
an  argument  of  a  true  Chrifl,  65.  the  difference  between 
thofe  deceivers  and  Jefus  Chrift,  69,  70.  they  were  of  de- 
bauched lives  and  viciotis  principles.  70.  thofe  deluded  by 
impoftors  a  melancholy  inifance  of  the  weaknefs  of  man- 
king,  71.^ 
Infidelity,    Its   patrons    only  pretenders  to  learning,  II.  404. 

modern,  worfe  than  that  of  the  Jews,  405. 
Infidels,  their  obje<5lion  that  the  prophecies  were  written  after 
the  events,  groundlefs  and  abfurd,  I.  26.  muft  either  renounce 
their  fenfes,  or  adiriit  the  truth  of  revelation,  27. 
Joachim,  abbot  of  Calabria,  in  the  twelfth    century  difcourfes 

of  Antichrifl,  II.  255. 
Jonah  preaches  repentance  to  Nineveh,  I.  154.  the  king  and 
people  repent   at  his  preaching,    ibid,  the  moil  ancient  of 
all  prophets,  155.  at  what  time  he  prophefied,  ibid. 
Jortin  (Dr.)  his  comparifon  of  Mofes  and  Chrift,  I.    109,   no. 
his  remarks  upon  the  prodigies  preceding  the  deftrudion  of 
Jerufalem,  495. 
Jofephus,  his  account  of  the  great  flaughter  at  the  fiege  of 
Jerufalem,  I.    118.  his  relation  of  the  figns  and  prodigies 
before  its  deft:ru£lion,  404,  405.  wonderfully  preferved    for 
the  illuftration  of  the  completion  of  the  prophecies,  II.   99. 
the  great  ufe  and  advantage  of  his   hiftory  in  this  rcfped:, 
99,  100. 
Irenaeus,  his  notion  of  Antlchrlft,  I.  26,  kc.  his  explication 

of  the  number  of  the  beaft,  II.  300,  301. 
Ifaac,  more  promifes  concerning  his  pofterity  than  of  Ifnmael, 
I.  54.  the  promifes  of  the  blefled  feed  fulfilled  In  Ifaac's  fami- 

!>''  55-. 
Ifaiah,  his   prophecy  againft    the   Aflyrians,  150,  151.  againft 

Babylon,  160,  tV.  againfl:  Tyre,  185,  &c.    againft  Egypt^ 

2c6,  &c. 


INDEX.  AS.S 

Ifhmael,  his  pofterity  very  numerous,  I.  41.  the  prciriifes  about 

him,  how  fulfilled,  42,  ^'c. 
Ifiimaelites.     See  Arabians. 
Ifraelites,   their  polleffion  of  Canaan  according  to  the  promife, 

I- 54- 
Judah,   Jacvob's   prophecies  in  bleffing  this  tribe,   I.   66,  67. 

the  fcepter  ihall  not  depart  from  Judah,  that  prophecy  ex- 
plained, 70,  71.  its  completion,  72.  continued  a  tribe  till 
the  coming  of  the  Mefliah  and  the  deftra6tion  of  Jerufalem, 
73,  Sec.  became  the  general  name  of  the  whole  nation,  78. 
this  prophecy  an  invincible  argument  that  Jefus  is  the  Mef- 
fiah,  79. 

Julian,  his  hypocrify,  I.  361.  his  attempt  to  rebuild  the  temple 
miraculoufly  defeated,  82,  S^. 

Jurieu  (Peter)  his  notion  of  the  refurredion  of  the  witneiTes, 
II.  302. 

Juftin  Martyr,  his  notion  of  the  Alan  of  Siny  I.  131.  his  ac- 
count of  the  millennium,  II.  349,  &c. 

K. 

KENNICOT,  his  critical  remark  upon  Noah's  prophe- 
cy, I.  33- 
Kingdom,  the  Babylonian,  I.  134,  &c.  the  Medo-Perfian,  , 
236,  &c.  the  Macedonian  or  Grecian,  137,  &c.  the  four 
kingdoms  into  which  this  was  divided,  257.  the  Roman 
240,  &c.  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  this  was  divided, 
262,  &c. 


LACTANTIlJS,   his   notion  of  Antichrift,  II.  132.  of 
the  millennium,  IL  151,  &c.  and  of  the  time  fucceeding, 

.  358- 

Laodice,  wife  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  put  away,  but  after- 
wards recalled,  I.  323.  poifons  her  hufband,  and  caufes 
Berenice  to  be  murdered,  ibid,  fixes  her  eldeft  fon  Seleucus 
Callinicus  on  the  throne,  324.  her  wickednefs  did  not  pafs 
unpunifhed,  324,  325. 

Laodicea,  the  terrible  doom  of  that  church,  II.  185.  now  an 
habitation  for  wild  beafis,  ibid,  its  condition  a  warning  to 
all  impenitent  and  carelefs  fmners,  ibid,  its  former  fplendid 
condition,  ibid. 

Vol.  II-  H  h  h 


426  INDEX. 

Lalt  times,  what  denoted  thereby,  II.  155. 

Latelnos,  that  word  contains  the  number  of  the  beaft,  11.  300^ 
&c.  bow  it  agrees  with  the  church  of  Rome,  ibid,  &c. 

Latin  church  not  reclaimed  by  the  ruin  of  the  Greek  church, 
II.  231. 

Lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  that  exprefHon  explained,  I. 
71;  72. 

Le  Clerc,  an  able  commentator,  but  apt  to  indulge  ftrange 
fancies,  I.  73.  his  fmgular  interpretation  of  Jacob's  prophe- 
cy rejected,  ibid,  his  hypothefis  of  the  Man  of  Sin^  refuted, 
IL  115. 

Little  book,  the  contents  of  it,  II.  233,  &c.  defcribes  the  ca- 
lamities of  the  weftern  churcl),  and  their  period,  ibid,  the 
contents  to  be  publidied,  234.  what  meant  by  the  meafuring 
of  the  temple,  236.  fome  true  witnefTes  againft  the  corrup- 
tions of  religion,  ibid. 

Little  horn,  among  the  ten  horns  of  the  weftern  Rom.an  em- 
pire, I.  164,  he.  among  the  four  horns  of  the  Grecian 
empire,  297.  whether  to  be  underftood  of  Antiochus  Epi- 
phanes  or  of  the  Romans,  298,  &c.  the  reafon  of  its  appel- 
lation, 299,  he. 

Lloyd,  Bilhop,  his  account  of  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which 
the  Roman  empire  was  divided,  I.  262.  a  memorable  thing 
of  his  about  the  Revelation,  11.  166.  his  notion  of  the  re- 
furreclion  of  the  witneiles,  242. 

Locufts,  the  Arabians  com.pared  to  them,  II.  217,  218.  their 
commiiTion,  and  how  fulfilled,  218.  not  real,  but  figurative 
Iccufts,  219.  likened  unto  horfes,  ibid,  a  defcription  of  their 
heads,  faces,  and  teeth,  219,  OcC  like  unto  fcorpicns,  221. 
their  king  called  the  deftroyer,  ibid,  their  hurting  meil 
five  months,  how  to  be  underftood,  and  how  exacily  fulfilled 
222,  &c. 

Lollards,  preach  againft  the  fuperftitions  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  II.  264.  prefent  a  remonftrance  to  the  parliament 
againft  the  doi^rines  and  practices  of  that  church,  265. 

Longinus  reduces  Rome  to  a  poor  dukedom,  II.  215* 

Loretto,  the  great  riches  of  the  image,  hcufc  and  treafury,  II. 
324. 

Luther,  preaches  againft  the  pope's  indulgences,  II.  271.  that 
queftion  anfwered.  Where  was  your  religion  before  Luther, 
272.  protcfts  againft  the  corruptions  of  the  church  of  Rome, 

308. 


1      N      D      i:      X.  427 

M 

MACCABEES,  their  great  fuccefs  againft  the  enemies  of 
the  Jews,  I.  359,  360. 

Macedonian  empire,  why  compared  to  a  leopard,  I.  256.  why 
defcribed  with  four  wings  and  four  heads,  and  dominion 
given  to  it,  ibid,  why  likened  to  a  goat,  IL  286,  287. 

Machiavel,  his  account  of  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  the 
Roman  empire  was  divided,  I.  262.  points  out  the  little  horn, 
265.  fhows  how  the  power  the  church,  of  Rome  was  railed 
upon  the  ruins  of  che  empire,  II.  126,  &c. 

Mahuzzim,  what  it  means,  I.  167,  Sec.  the  prophecy  ex- 
pounded, 371. 

Mamalucs,  Jerufalem  long  under  their  dominion,  II.  89.  all 
their  dominions  annexed  to  the  Othman  empire,  ibid. 

Alan  of  Sirij  St.  Paul's  prophecy  about  him,  II.  103.  the  fenfe 
and  meaning  of  the  paiTage,  ibid,  what  meant  by  the  coming 
of  Chrift  and  the  day  of  Chrift,  IC4,  Sec.  who  is  the  Man 
of  Sin^  107.  what  by  fitting  in  the  temple  of  God,  108. 
what  by  he  who  letting  will  let,  109,  5cc.  the  deftruction  of 
the  Man  of  Sin. foretold j  iii.  the  opinions  of  fome  learned 
men  rejected,  1 1 1,  &c.  other  opinions  about  the  Adan  of  Sin^ 

120.  applicable  to  the  great  aooftaf^  of  the  church  of  Rome, 

121.  the  pope  the  Man  of  Sln^  128.  what  the  fathers  fay  of 
the  Man  of  Sin^  131,  &c.  the  evidences  that  the  pope  is  the 
Man  of  Sin^  137,  the  opinion  of  the  ancient  fathers  about 
this  point,  131,  &c.  this  prophecy  an  antidote  to  popery,  318. 

Marriage,  an  account  of  its  being  forbid  to  the  clergy,  II.  159, 
Sec.  the  vi^orfhipping  of  demons  and  prohibition  of  marriage 
went  together,  161. 

Maundrell,  his  account  of  the  ftate  of  Paleftine,  I.  138,  Sic, 
his  account  of  Tyre,  203. 

Maximine  the  emperor,  a  barbarian  in  all  refpe£ls,  II.  197. 

Mede,  a  moft  learned  and  excellent  writer,  I.  36.  a  mifcake  of 
that  author's  corrected,  37.  his  account  of  the  ten  kingdoms 
into  which  the  Roman  empire  was  divided,  262*.  ot  the 
three  kingdoms  v/hich  the  little  horn  fubverted,  270.  his 
great  pains  in  explaining  the  prophecies,  and  fixing  the  true 
idea  of  Antichriil,  II.  136,  137.  his  excellent  treat! fe  of  the 
apoffafy  of  the  latter  time,  140.  One  of  the  beft  interpreters 
of  the  Revelation,  168.  his  hard  fate  in  the  world,  136.  his 
conjeitures  concerning  Gog  and  Magog,  355. 


428  INDEX. 

Meiliah  principally  intended  In  Mofes's  prophecy  of  a  prophet 
like  unto  himfelf,  I.  103,  &c.  expected  about  the  time  of 
our  Saviour,  II.  65.  and  foretold  that  he  fliould  v/ork  mi- 
racles, 66. 

Mezerav,  what  that  hiftorian  fays  of  the  Waldenfes,  II.  256. 

Millennium  commences,  and  Satan  bound  and  fhut  up  a  thou- 
fand  years,  II.  345.  the  prophscy  not  yet  fulfilled,  346.  this 
period  thought  to  be  the  feventh  millennary  of  the  world, 
347,  quotations  in  proof  of  this,  348,  &c.  the  reafons  of 
this  doctrine  growing  into  difrepute,  352.  cyriofity  into  the 
nature  of  this  future  kingdom  to  be  avoided,  387. 

Miracles  and  prophecies,  the  great  proofs  of  revelation,  I.  24. 
how  to  judge  of  miracles,  II.  69,  70.  what  to  think  of  the 
Pagan  and  Popilh  miracles,  II.  70,  71.  thofe  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  not  real  but  pretended,  294,  295.  their  pretended 
rniracles  a  proof  of  a  falfe  church  and  a  diiiinguifhing  mark 
of  Antichrift,  ibid,  prophecies  accomplifhed,  the  greateft  of 
all  miracles,  407. 

Mohammed,  the  time  when  his  new  religion  was  propagated, 
II.  85.  fome  contend  that  he  was  the  Man  of  Sin,  120.  that 
OD.raon  refuted  ibid,  the  ftar  that  opens  the  bottomlefs  pit. 
It.  216. 

IMonks,  great  promoters  of  celibacy  and  worfhipping  of  the 
dead,  Ijl.  159,  etc. 

Mofef;,  a  faitnmi  hiftorian  in  recording  the  failings  of  the  pa- 
triarchs, I.  25.  his  prophecy  of  a  prophet  Jike  himfelf,  103. 
&c.  many  proofs  that  the  Mefliah  was  principally  intended  in 
that  prophecy,  104,  &c.  the  great  likenefs  between  Mofes 
and  Chrift,  107,  5tc.  the  comparifon  between  them  as 
drawn  bv  one  author  and  enlarged  by  another,  ibid.  Sec.  the 
puniihment  of  the  people  for  their  difobedience  to  this  pro- 
phet, III,  Szc.  the  prophecies  of  Mofes  concerning  the 
Jev/s,  112,  Sec.  his  prophecy  of  their  difperfion  exactly  ful- 
filled, II.  3o'o,  399. 

N 

NA  H  U  M,  the  time  of  his  prophefying  uncertain,   155. 
foretold  the  utter  deftru6tibn  of  Nineveh,  156,  157.  his 
prophecies  of  the  manner  of  its  deftru6lion  exactly  fulfilled, 
158,  .*cc. 
Nebuchadnrzzar,   his  dream  of  the  great  empire?,  I.  230,  &c. 


I      N      D      E       X.  429 

the  interpretation  of  it  by  Daniel  with  the  occafion  of  it, 

232.  the  emblems  of  that  dream  confidered  and  explained, 

233,  &c. 

Newton,  Sir  Ifaac,  his  account  of  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which 
the  Roman  empire  was  divided,  I.  263.  one  of  the  three  king- 
doms, which  the  little  horn  fub verted,  271.  penetrates  into 
fcripture  as  well  as  into  nature,  298.  his  account  of  the  lit- 
tle horn  in  the  Grecian  empire,  303,  Sec.  his  the  beft  inter- 
pretation of  Dan.  xi.  298,  &c.  his  obfervations  about  the 
interpreters  of  the  Revelation,  II.  167. 

Nineveh,  prophecies  concerning  this  metropolis  of  the  AfTyri- 
an  empire,  I.  149,  &c.  ancient  and  great  city,  152.  the 
fcripture  account  of  it  confirmed  by  heathen  authors,  153. 
abounding  in  wealth  and  luxury,  became  very  corrupt,  154. 
the  king  and  people  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonah,  ibid, 
their  repentance  of  fhort  continuance,  155.  their  deftru6li- 
on  foretold  by  Nahum,  155,  156.  this  city  taken  and  de- 
ftroyed  by  the  Medes  and  Babylonians,  156,  the  prophecies 
of  the  manner  of  its  deftrudion  exactly  fulfilled,  157,  Sec, 
its  great  compafs,  walls  and  towers,  161.  authors  not  agreed 
about  its  fituation,  ibid,  the  predictions  about  it  fulfilled, 
according  to  the  accounts  of  ancients  and  moderns,  162,  &c. 
the  ruins  of  this  city  may  flrongly  afFe6i:  us  in  this  kingdom, 
163,154. 
Noah,  very  few  prophecies  before  his  time,  I.  25,  26.  his  ex- 
cellent character,  ibid,  was  notwithftanding  guilty  of  drunk- 
ennefs,  ibid,  the  behaviour  of  his  fons  at  that  time,  ibiH' 
foretells  the  different  conditions  of  their  families,  27.  his 
extraordinary  prophecy  wonderfully  fulfilled  to  this  day,  36. 

o 

y^  D  O  A  C  E  R,  king  of  the  Heruli,  puts  nn  end  to  the 

V^   very  name  of  the  weftern  Roman  empire,  II.  214. 

Omar  propagates  Mohammed's  religion,  II.  58.  the  many 
kingdoms  he  fubdued,  ibid,  invefts  Jerufalem,  and  it  fur- 
renders,  ibid. 

Onias,  removed  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes  from  the  high-prieft- 
hood,  I,  342. 

Oldcaftle,* Sir  John,  profscuted  for  being  the  principal  patron 
of  the  Lollards,  II.  267.  examined  before  the  archbifhop  of 
Canterbury,  ibid,  his  flrong  declarations  againll  tranfubftan- 


450  INDEX. 

tiation  and  other  docStrines,  ibid,  aflerts  the  Pope  to  be  An- 
tiehrill,  ibid.  fufFers  death  for  the  caufe  of  rehgion,  ibid. 
Origen,  what  that  learned  writer  relates  about  Antichrift,  IL 

132- 

Oftrogoths,  their  kingdom  in  Italy,  IL  214. 

Othmans  or  Turks,  fubdue  Egypt,  I.  226,  &c.  take  Jerufalem, 
II.  89.  their  fultanies  or  kingdoms,  225,  226. ,  their  con- 
quers, 227.  the  Jews  to  be  reftored  about  the  time  of  the 
fall  of  this  empire,  386.     See  Turks. 


PARIS,  the  maflacre  of  the  proteftants  there,  II.  241. 
the  many  thoufancls  {lain  in  a  {qw  days,  ibid. 

r'aris,  rv4atthew,  that  hiilorian  freely  cenfures  the  great  wick- 
ednefs  of  the  Pope  and  clergy,  II.  263. 

Pafchafius  Radbertus  in  the  ninth  century  firft  advances  the 
do6lrine  of  tranfubftantiation,  IL  246.  oppofed  by  many- 
learned  men,  ibid. 

Pergamus,  its  fituation  and  prefent  ftate,  II.  182.  formerly  the 
throne  of  Satan,  and  now  in  a  wretched  condition,  ibid. 

Pella,  the  Chriftians  remove  thither  before  the  deftru6lion  of 
Jerufalem,  II.  54* 

Perfecution,  the  fpifit  of  Popery,  I.  147,  the  Jews  greatly 
perfecuted  in  popifh  countries,  ibid,  diiluafives  from  ir,  ibid, 
the  perfecutions  of  the  Chriftians  before  the  defl:ru61:ion  of 
Jerufalem,  406. 

Perfian  empire,  why  compared  to  a  bear,  I.  254.  its  great  cru- 
elty, 255,  256.  why  likened  to  a  ram,  285. 

Philadelphia,  its  beautiful  fituation,  IL  184.  next  to  Smyrna 
hath  the  greateft  number  of  Chriftians  among  the  former 
{Qvtn  churches,  ibid. 

Pocoke(Dr.)  his  account  of  the  Arabians,  I.  50.  of  Tyre, 
200,  201. 

Pope  cfRome,  the  marks  of  the  Man  of  iS'/w  juftify  the  appli- 
cation o^  it  to  him,  II.  122 — 124.  how  his  power  was  at 
firft  eftabliflied,  126,  &c.  the  reformers  of  opinion  that  the 
Pope  was  Antichrift,  136.  he  forbids  to  fpeak  of  the  com- 
ing of  Antichrift,  ibid,  the  evidence  of  the  Pope  being 
Antichrift,  137.  the  apoftacy  eftabliflied  by  the  Pope,  156, 
the  Pope  the  image  and  reprefentation  of  the  beaft,  II.  296. 
is  firft  elected  and  then  worftiipped,  ibid,  as  great  a  tyrant 


INDEX. 


431 


in  the  Chriftian  world  as  the  Roman  emperors  in  the  Hea- 
then world,  297.  popifti  excommiinications  like  Heathen 
perfecutions,  298. 

Popery,  prevails  in  the  ninth  century,  298.  the  oppofition  it 
met  with,  246.  the  great  corru{>tion  of  Chriftianity,  370. 
many  prophecies  relating  to  the  prevailing  of  popery,  368. 
the  prediiStions  reprefented  in  one  view.  ibid,  its  tyranny 
■  and  idolatry  foretold,  ibid,  the  blafphcmy  of  popery  in  the 
pope's  making  himfelf  equal  and  even  fu  peri  or  to  God,  369. 
the  power  and  riches  of  the  popifh  clergy,  370.  the  poipp 
of  their  ceremonies  •and  veltments,  371.  their  policy,  lies 
and  frauds,  ibid,  th^ir  pretended  vifions  and  miracles,  ibid. 
intimations  of  popery  iri  the  new  Teftament,  372,  kc,  not 
only  foretold,  but  the  place  and  perfons  pointed  out,  375. 
inftances  of  this,  ibid,  the  time  alfo  figniiied,  380,  &c. 
when  to  arife  and  how  long  to  prevail,  380.  the  tyrannical 
power  often  called  Antichrifl,  383.  the  corruptions  of  po- 
pery being  foretold,  we  ar^  not  to  be  furprifed  or  offended, 
391. 

Porphyry  and  Collins  deny  the  genuinenefs  of  Daniel's  pro- 
phecies, which  are  fuinciently  vindicated,  I.  230.  their  no- 
tions refuted,  265,  266. 

Prophecy,  a  diilertation  on  Noah's  prophecy,  I.  25,  &c.  the 
prophecies  concerning  Iilimael,  40,  izc.  concerning  Jacob 
and  Efau,  54,  &c.  Jacob's  prophecies  concerning  his  fons, 
particularly  Judah,  65,  &c.  Balaam's  prophecies,  81,  &c. 
Mofes's  prophecy  of  a  prophet  like  unto  himfelf,  103,  Sec, 
prophecies  of  Mofes  concerning  the  Jews,  113,  ^c.  pro- 
phecies of  other  prophets  concerning  the  Jews,  126,  &c. 
the  prophecies  concerning  Nineveh,  149,  &c.  the  prophe- 
cies concerning  Babylon,  185,  &c.  the  prophecies  concern- 
ing Tyre,  165,  &c.  the  prophecies  concerning  Egypt,  205, 
&c.  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  of  the  great  empires,  230,  &c. 
Daniel's  vifion  of  the  fame,  252,  &c. 

prophecy,  a  diflertation  on  Daniel's  vifion  of  the  Ram  arid 
He-goat,  I.  282,  &c.  Daniel's  prophecy  of  the  things  no- 
ted in  the  fcripture  of  truth,  316,  kc.  the  fame  fubject  con- 
tinued, 354,  &c.  our  Saviour's  prophecies  relating  to  the  de- 
ftruction  of  Jerufalem,  390,  Sic.  the  fame  fubjeft  continu- 
ed, n.  53i,  &c.  the  fame  fubje6t  continued,  73,  Sec.  the 
fame  fubject  continued,  92,  &c.  St.  Paul's  prophecy  of  the 
Man  of  Sin,  103,  Sec.  St.  Paul's  prophecy  of  the  apqilafy 
of  the  latter  times,  139,  Sec. 


432  I      N      D      E      X. 

Prophecy,  a  diiTertation  on  the  prophecies  of  the  Revelation, 
II.  Part  I.  page  164,  &c.  Part  11.  275,  &c.  Prophecies 
relating  to  popery  recapitulated,  368,  See. 

Prophecies,  one  of  the  ftrongell  proofs  of  Revelation,  I.  21. 
the  confequence  from  believing  prophecies  to  believing  re- 
velation, 22.  the  prophecy  of  Noah  not  to  be  underftood  of 
particular  perfons,  but  of  whole  nations,  33.  the  gift  of  it 
not  always  confined  to  pious  men,  81.  many  prophecies  have 
both  a  literal  and  myftical  meaning,  92. 

Prophecies,  why  the  Jewifh  church  inftruded  by  prophets,  and 
not  the  Chriftian,  390.  fome  prophecies  of  Chrift  concern- 
ing himf^lf,  and  the  deftru^tion  of  Jerufalem,  391,  &c. 
a  view  of  the  prophecies  now  fulfilling  in  the  world,  392, 
393'  inftances  of  prophecies  fulfilled,  atteftations  of  divine 
revelation,  406,  407. 

Prophecies,  the  great  difference  between  them  and  the  pagan 
oracles,  I.  388,  &c. 

Providence,  confirmed  by  the  completion  of  prophecies,  I.  389. 
the  many  abfurdities  of  denying  a  providence,  ibid. 

Ptolemy,  the  firfl  of  Egypt,  a  powerful  king,  I.  321,  322. 

Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  the  fecond  king  of  Egypt,  I.  322.  called 
the  dowry  giver,  323.  his  care  of  his  daughter,  324. 

Ptolemy  Philometer,  the  great  calamities  of  his  reign,  I.  345. 
the  Alexandrians  revolt  from  him,  and  proclaim  his  brother 
king,  346. 

Ptolemy  Philopater,  defeats  Antlochus,  I.  328.  murders  his 
neareft  relations,  ibid,  confumes  his  days  in  feafting  and 
lewdnefs,  329.  his  vicious  conduct  and  cruelty  to  the  Jews, 
329.  dies  of  intemperance  and  debauchery,  330. 

Pythius,  the  richelt  fubjedl:  in  the  world,  I.  317.  entertains 
Xerxes  and  offers  to  defray  tlie  charges  of  the  war,  ibid. 

R 

RABANUS  Maurus.  in  the  ninth  century,  writes  againft 
tranfubftantiation,  II.  246. 
Kani  and  He-goat,  a  diflertation  on  that  vifion,  I.  282.  v/hy 
the  Pcrfian  empire  is  reprefented  by  a  ram,  285.  the  exploits 
of  the  ram,  266.  a  goat  properly  a  type  of  the  Grecian  em- 
pire, ibid,  the  goat  invades  the  ram  with  great  fuccefs, 
187.  the  empire  of  the  goat  broken  to  pieces,  296.  what 
arofe  after  it,  297. 


INDEX.  433 

Reuben^  Jacob's  prophecy  concerning  that  ttlbe,  how  falfilled, 

I.  67,  68. 
Kedemption,  the  firftpromlfe  of  that  great  blefilng,  I.  25.  that 
promife  may  be  called  the  firft  prophecy  and  opening  of  Chri- 
ilianity,  ibid. 
Reformation,  the  firft  efforts  towards  it  by  emperors  and  bifh- 
ops,  II.  303.    another  by  the    Waldenfes  and    Albigeitfes, 
306.  a  third  by  Luther  and  his  fellow-reformers,  308. 
Remerius,  the  Dominican  his  remarkable  character  of  the  Wal- 
denfes, II.  259. 
Revelation,  the  prophecies  a  flrong  proof  of  it,  I.  21.  the  evi- 
dence drawn  from  prophecy  a  growing  evidence,  23,  24.  ob- 
jedions  made  to  the   book  of  Revelation  by  fome  learned 
men,  II.  165.  difficult  to  explain,  yet  not  to  be  defpifsd  or 
negle6ted,   166.  the   right  method  of  interpreting  it,   167. 
what  helps  requifite,  ibid,  the  three  chief  interpreters  of  this 
book,  168,  the  fcope  and  defign  of  it  given   to   St.  John  at 
Patmos  in  Nero's  reign,  168,  &c.  his  firft  vifion  and  defcrip- 
tion  of  Jefus  Chrift,  170.  the  dedication  to  the  feven  church- 
es of  Afia,  169.  its  folemn  preface  to  ftiow  the  great  authori- 
ty of  the  divine  revealer,  ibid,  the  place,  the  time,  and  man- 
ner of  the  firft  vifion,  169,  &c.  the  (zvta  epiftles  to  the  kvta 
churches,  175,  he.  the  vifion  of  the  throne  fet  in  heaven, 
186,  &c.  of  that  of  the  book   fealed  with  (^.v^n  feals,    188. 
that  the  fon  of  God  was  only  found  worthy  to  open  the  feals, 
189.  the  vifions  of  the  fix  feals  confidered,  100,  &c.  the  fe- 
venth  feal  opened,  208.  it  comprehends  more  events  than  the 
former  feals,  ibid,  the  feven  trumpets,  209,  &c.  vifion  of  the 
great  red  dragon,  277,  &c.  of  the  ten  horned  beaft,  283,  kc, 
of  the  two  horned  beaft,  292,  &c.  the  feven  vials,   312,  he, 
the  fall  of  fpiritual  Babylon  or  Rome,  321,  &c.  th^^  milleni- 
um,  344,  &c.  the  general  refurreilion  and  judgment,  and  new 
heaven  and  earth,  331,  &c. 
Roman  empire,  compared  to  a  terrible  beaft  without  a  name,  I. 
257>  258.  this  beaft  had  ten  horns,  260.   thefe  ten  horns  or 
kingdoms  where  to  be  fought,  262.  the  opinion  of  authors  a- 
bout  them,  ibid.  &c. 
Rom.e,  that  church  a  furprifing  myftery  of  iniquity,  II.  i6'<.  its 
herefies  and  fchifms  of  long  continuance,  ibid,  the  power  of  the 
pope  of  Rome,  foretold  in  fcripture,  165.  when  Rome  was 
governed  by  the  Exarch  of  Ravenna,  215.  refembles  Egypt 
in  her   punifhment  as   well    as   ia  crimes,  315.    her   fall 

VOL.II.  I   i   i 


434 


N      D       E 


compared  to  Babylon,  321.  her  ftate  and  condltionj  ibid,  the 
charadler  of  the  great  whore  of  Bab)'lon,  more  proper  to 
modern  than  ancient  Rome,  32?.,  323.  her  fitting  upon  a 
icarlet-coloured  beaft  with  feven  heads  and  ten  horns,  323. 
her  ornament,  324.  her  inchanting  cup,  325.  her  infcrip- 
tion  upon  her  forhead,  ibid,  her  being  drunk  wath  the 
blood  of  the  faints,  327.  what  fignihed  by  the  feven  heads 
and  ten  horns,  329.  the  prophecies  relating  to  the  church 
of  Rome  the  mol-l:  effential  part  of  the  Revelation,  368.  its 
corruptions  and  innovations  foretold,  368,  &c,  her  clergy 
]ike  the  fcribcs  and  Pharifee^  in  feveral  inftancss,  373.  their 
ufurpcd  power  foretold,  and  the  place  and  perfuns  pointed 
out,  368,  Sec,  the  time  of  its  power  foretold,  380.  its  deftruc- 
tion  will  certainly  come,  383,  Sec. 


SALADIN,  proclaimed  fultan  in  Egypt,  11.  87.  befiegcs 
and  takes  Jcrufalem,  ibid,  compels  the  Chriftians  there  to 
redeem  their  lives,  ibid. 

Saracens,  defcended  from  Iflimael,  I.  41,  &c.  as  locufts  over- 
fpread  the  earth,  II.' 2 17,  when  they  made  their  greateft  con- 
quefts,  223.   See  Arabians. 

Sardis,  the  capital  of  Lydia,  II.  183.  at  prefent  in  ruins,  183,  184, 
in  a  moft  deplorable  ftate  as  to  religion,  ibid. 

Savonarola,  his  zealous  preaching  and  v/riting  againft  the  vices 
of  the  Roman  clergy,  II.  270.  endures  imprifonment,  tor- 
tures and  death  with  conftancy,  271. 

Sawtree,  a  parilh  prieft,  firft  burnt  ifor  herefy  in  England,  II. 
267. 

Scopas,  his  great  fuccefs  in  Coele-Syria  and  Paleftine,  I.  332, 
is  afterwards  forced  to  furrender  to  Antiochus,  333. 

Scotus  Johannes,  writes  npon  the  Eucharift  by  the  command 
of  the  emperor,  II.  246.  his  opinion  againft  the  do£l:rine  of 
tranfubftantiation,  ibid,  invited  to  England  by  king  Alfred, 
and  preferred,  ibid. 

Scriptures,  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  a  convincing  argu- 
ment of  their  divinity,  I.  183  friendly  to  liberty,  184.  and 
the  loveof  our  countrv,  II.  314. 

Seals,  the  book  fealed  with  feven  feals,  II.  190.  the  Son  of  God 
only  found  worthy  to  open  it,  ibid,  the  (even  feals  fignify 
fo  many  periods  of  prophecy,  ibid,  the  firft  memorable  for 
feonqueft,  191.  the  fecond  its  tommencemcnt  and  continu-^ 


INDEX.  435 

ance,  192.  the  third  fcal  for  what  charaderized,  194,  195, 
the  fourth  feal  for  what  diftlnguiflied,  196,  197.  the  fifth 
fcal  remarkable  for  the  tenth  general  perfecution,  200.  the 
fixth  fcal  for  great  changes  and  revolutions,  2Ci.  its  conti- 
tinuance  from  Conltantine  to  Theodofius,  208.  the  feventh 
feal  dilHnguifhcd  by  the  founding  of  feven  trumpets,  ibid, 
feals  foretold  the  ftate  of  the  Roman  empire  before  it  became 
Chriftian,  210. 

geleucidne  and  Lagid^^,  not  the  fourth  kingdom  mentioned  in 
Daniel,  I.  199,  kc. 

Seleucia,  renders  Babylori  defolate,  I.  178.  is  called  Babylon 
by  feveral  authors,  ibid. 

SeleucuE,  the  firft  of  Syria  a  moft  potent  king,  I.   322,  323. 

Seleucus  Ceraunus,  hjs  fnort  and  inglorious  reign,  il.   327. 

Seleucus  Caliinicus,  his  fons  and  their  pompous  appellations, 
II.    326. 

Seleucus  Philopater,  fucceeds  his  father  Antiochus,  II.  339. 
a  raifer  of  taxes  all  his  days,  ibid,  fends  his  treaiurer  to  com- 
mit facrilege  in  the  temple  of  Jerufalem,  340,  is  dedroyed 
by  him,  ibid, 

Septimius  Severus,  a  juf!:  and  provident  emperor,  II.  196,^0, 

Shalmanefer,  carried  the  ten  tribes  into  captivity,  I.  150. 

Shaw  (Dr.)  his  account  of  the  Arabians,  I.  49,  50.*of  Faleftine, 
140.  141.  of  Tyre,  202. 

3hem  and  Japheth,  their  good  behaviour  on  their  father's  drun- 
kennefs,  I.  26.  the  blelFmgs  promifed  upon  them  and  their 
poilerity,  33.  how  fulfilled  both  in  former  and  latter  times, 
34,  &c. 

Sherlock  (Bp.)  his  expofition  of  Jacob's  prophecy  chiefly  iol- 
lowed,  I.  70,  &c. 

Shiioh,  fiiewn  to  be  the  Meffiah  in  the  various  fenfes  of  the 
word,  I.  72. 

Sidon,  an  ancient  city,  celebrated  by  Homer  and  other  poets, 
I.  187. 

Simeon  and  Levy,  Jacob's  Prophecy  about  thefe  two  tribes,  and 
how  fulfilled,  I.  67,  &c. 

Smyrna,  the  fecond  epiftle  to  the  feven  churches  addrefled  to 
them.,  n.  181.  its  fituation  and  commerce,  ibid,  its  prefent 
ftate  as  to  religion,  ibid. 

Soul,  that  it  grew  prophetic  near  death,  an  opinion  of  great  an- 
tiquity, I.  65,  66, 

South  ajtid  North,  kings  of,  who  to  be  underftood  by  them^  L 


435  I      N      D       E      X. 

Star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  fcepter  out  of  Ifrael,  that  prophecy  ex^ 

plained,  1.  90,  &c. 
Spirit,  the  gifts  and  the  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ofcen  dcfcrib- 

ed  by  fprings  of  water,  I.  283. 
Spon  (Dr.)  his  remark  about  the  church  of  Philadelphia^  11. 

184,  185. 
States  or  nations,  feldom  ruined  without  preceding  figns,  I.  41 1. 

many  awful  figns  from  the  fms  of  this  nation,  412. 
Sulpicius  Severus,  his  expofition  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream, 

I.  248,  249. 

T 

TACITUS,  his  account  of  the  prodigies  before  the  dc- 
flruvStion  of  Jerufalem,  I.  404. 

I'iimerlane,  his  great  conquefts,  II.  88.   vifits  Jerufalem,  ibid. 

Tert'jllian,  his  opinion  of  the  Man  of  Shi^  II.  131.  of  the  mil- 
lennium, II.  351. 

Theodoret,  too  much  promotes  the  v/orfhip  of  faints,  II.  152. 

Thuanus,  his  character  of  the  Waldenfes,  II.  260.  his  account 
of  their  fufferings  and  difperfion,  261. 

Thyatira,  a  ChriiHan  church  formerly  there,  this  denied  by 
fome  heretics,  II.  182.  its  prefent  condition  an  effect  of  the 
divine  judgm.ent  for  their  fins,  183. 

Titus,  furrounds  Jerufalem  with  a  v/all,,  II.  56.  comm.ands  the 
city  and  temple  to  be  deftroyed,  79.  wonderful  prefervatiou 
at  the  fiege,  99. 

To:edo,  that  council  ordered  the  children  of  the  Jev/s  to  be  ta- 
ken from  them,  I.   122. 

Trajan  and  Severus,  their  attempts  againfl  Arabia  repelled  in 
in  an  extraordinary  manner,  I.  47,  48.  the  wars  and  /laughters 
in  the  reigns  of  Trajan  and  his  fucceflbrs,  11,  192.  the  Jews 
fubdued  by  him,  193. 

Trolly,  that  council's  good  regulations,  II.  248.  differs  from 
the  fpiritand  principles  of  the  council  of  Trent,  ibid. 

Trumpets,  the  feven  periods  diftinguifhed  by  the  found  of  fe- 
ven  trumpets,  II.  209.  filcnce  of  half  an  hour  previous  to 
their  founding,  ibid,  forefhow  the  condition  of  the  Roman 
empire  after  it  became  Chridian,  210.  the  defign  of  the 
trumpets,  ibid,  the  events  at  the  founding  of  the  firii:  trump- 
et, 210,  &c.  at  the  founding  of  the  fecond,  211.  at  the 
fjunding  of  the  third,   212.    at  the  founding  of  the  fourth^ 


INDEX.  43y 

214.  the  three  following  diftlnguifhcd  by  the  name  of  'he 
woe-trumpets,  215.  the  events  at  the  founding  of  the  fifth, 
216.  at  the  founding  of  the  fixth  trumpet,  225.  an  account: 
of  the  feventh  trumpet,  273,  &c. 

Turks,  a  part  of  Daniel's  prophecy  fjppofed  to.  refer  to  the  de- 
ftrudlion  of  their  empire,  I.  380,  &c.  their  four  kingdoms 
Oil  the  river  Euphrates,  IL  225.  their  numerous  armies, 
efpecially  their  cavalry,  229.  their  delight  in  fcarleL,  blue, 
and  yellow,  ibid,  the  ufe  of  great  guns  and  gun-powder 
among  them,  230.  their  pov/er  to  do  nut  by  their  tails,  230, 
231.  See  Othmans. 

Tyre,  prophecies  concerning  it,  I.  185,  &c.  Its  fall  predicted 
by  Ifaiah  and  Ezekiel,  185.  the  prophecies  relate  to  both 
old  and  new  Tyre,  185,  &c.  a  very  ancient  city,  186,  187. 
the  daughter  of  Sidon,  but  in  time  excelled  the  mother, .  187. 
in  a  flourifliing  condition  wlien  the  prophet  foretells  her  de- 
ftrudion  for  her  wickednefs,  188.  the  particulars  included 
in  the  prophecies  about  it,  189.  the  city  taken  and  deftroyed 
bp  Nebuchadnezzar  and  Chaldeans,  ibid,  the  inhabitants  to 
pafs  over  the  Mediterranean,  but  to  find  no  reft,  192.  the 
city  to  be  reftored  after  feventy  years,  194,  195.  to  beta- 
ken and  deftroyed  again,  195,  Szc.  the  people  to  forfake 
idolatry  and  become  converts  to  the  true  religion,  19S.  the 
city  at  laft  to  be  totally  deftroyed  aud  become  a  place  for 
fifhers  to  fpread  their  nets  upon,  200,  thefe  prophecies  to 
be  fulfilled  by  degrees,  201.  a  fhort  account  from  the  tim.c 
of  Nebuchadnezzar  to  the  prefent  time,  ibid,  the  accounts 
given  by  three  writers,  202.  this  account  concluded  v/ith 
reilections  upon  trade,  203,  204. 

V 

VIALS)  feven,  a  preparatory  vifion  to  their  being  pour- 
ed out,  11.  312,  &c.  thefe  (even  plagues  or  vials  belong 
to  the  laft  trumpet,  and  not  yet  fulfilled,  312,  Sec.  {even  an- 
gels appointed  to  pour  out  the  feven  vials,  314.  the  commifHon 
to  pour  them  out,  315.  the  firft  vial  or  plague,  316.  the  fe- 
cond  and  third,  ibid,  the  fourth,  317.  the  fifth,  ibid,  tlie 
fixth,  318.  the  feventh  and  laft,  319. 
Vitringa,  his  opinion  about  a  paftage  in  Balaam's  prophecy,  I. 
91.  a  moft  excellent  commentator  upon  Ifaiah,  198.  one  of 
the  beft  interpreters  of  the  Revelation,   II.    168.    Voltaire, 


43B  I      N      D      E      X. 

his  account  of  the  prefent  ftate  ofFalcftine,  I.  137.  an  agrees^- 
ble  yet  fuperficial  writer,  II.   166. 

W 

WALDENSES  and  Albigenfes,  witnefTes  fqr  the  truth 
in  the  twelfth  century,  II.  256.  their  rife  and  opinions, 
256.  8zc.  teftimonies  concerning  them,  257.  are  very  much 
perfecuted,  and  fly  into  other  countries,  261.  pronounce  the 
the  church  of  Rome  to  be  apocalyptic  Babylon,  306. 

Warburton,  his  expofition  of  the  ftar  out  of  Jacob,  and  fcep- 
ter  out  of  Ifrael,  1.  93.  his  account  of  the  figurative  language 
ufed  in  foretelling  thedeitruclion  of  Jerufalem,  IL  75,  &c." 

Wetftein,  his  explication  of  the  Alan  of  Sin  refuted,  II.  118. 
complimented  his  underllanding  to  Cardinal  Quirini,   iig. 

Wheeler,  his  account  of  Smyrna,  II.  181.  he  efteems  an  Englifh 
priefl:  an  evangelifr,  182.  his  obfervation  about  the  judg- 
ments on  the  feven  churches  of  Afia,   186. 

Whitby,  his  fcheme  about  the  Man  of  Sin  perplexed  and  con- 
fufed,  II.  116.  and  refuted,  117,  profefles  not  to  underftand 
the  Revelation,   165. 

White  Korfe,  our  Saviour  cometh  forth  riding  on  one,  II, 
34.2.    a  token  of  \  i6lory  over  his  enemies,  ibid. 

White  Throne,  the  general  refurredlion  and  judgment  repre- 
sented by  it,  II.    356. 

WicklifF,  preaches  agaiml:  the  doclrines  and  lives  of  the  clergy. 
li.  265.  his  bocks  read  in  the  colleges  at  Oxford,  ibid, 
after  his  death  his  doctrines  condemned,  books  burnt,  and 
body  dug  up  and  burnt,  266.  his  followers  however  not 
difcouragtd,   ibid. 

WitneiTes,  proteft  againit  the  corruptions  of  religion,  II.  236. 
why  faid  to  be  two  witneifcs,  ibid,  to  prophecy  in  fackloth 
during  the  grand  corruption,  237.  the  character  of  thefc 
witnefies,  and  of  the  power   and  efie6l  of  their  preaching, 

237,  238.  their   pailion,    death,  refurreftion    and   afcenfion, 

238,  &c.  the  prophecy  about  the  witnefies  applied  by  fome 
to  John  Hufs  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  240.  and  by  others  to 
the  protcftants  of  the  league  of  Smalcald.  ibid,  alfo  to  the 
mafiacre  of  the  Proteflants  in  France,  241.  others  to  later 
events,  to  the  Proteftants  in  the  vallies  of  Piedmont,  242. 
an  hiltorical  dedu6l:ion  iJiewing  true  witnefies  againfl:  the 
church  of  Rome  from  the  fevsnth  ccnturv-  to  the  Reformat 


INDEX.  439 

tion,  243,  kc.  wltncPiCS  in  the  eight  century,  244.  in  the 
ninth,  245.  in  the  tenth,  249.  in  the  eleventh,  252.  in  the 
twelfth,  254.  in  the  thirteenth,  261.  in  the  fourteenth,  263. 
in  the  fifteenth,  266.  in  the  fixteenth,  271.  hence  an  anfvver 
to  the  popifh  queftion,  Where  was  your  religion  before 
Luther  ?  272. 

Woman,  cloathed  with  the  fun  and  the  moon  under  her  feet, 
II.  277.  what  this  reprefentation  of  the  church  denotes,  278. 

Woman,  full  of  names  of  blafphemy,  fitting  on  a  beaft,  hav- 
ing feven  heads  and  ten  horns,  II.  322.  name  written  on  her 
forehead,  ibid,  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore,  ibid,  is 
arrayed  in  purple  and  fcarlet  colour,  324.  hath  a  golden  cup 
in  her  hand  full  of  abominations,  325.  the  infcription  upon 
her  forehead,  ibid,  infamous  for  idolatry  and  cruelty,  327, 
the  myllery  of  the  woman,  327,  Sec. 

World,  what  meant  by  the  phrafe  of  the  end  of  the  world,  L 
397,  398.  its  reference  to  the  deftru6lion  of  Jerufalem,  ibid. 


XERXES,  the  richeft  king  of  Perfia,  I.  318,  his  memora- 
ble expedition  into  Greece,  ibid,  raifes  the  greateft  army 
that  was  ever  brought  into  the  field,  ibid. 


ZEBULON,  Jacob's  prophecy  concerning  that  tribe,  and 
how  fulfilled,  1.68. 
Zephaniah,  that  prophet  foretels  the  total  deftrudion  of  Nine- 
veh, I.  160.  the  prophecy  contrary  to  all  probability,  ibid. 


FINIS. 


m^. 


y^'^3' 


4^' 


